


When the Abyss Stares Back at You

by little_tales



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Also known as Jedi Anakin Skywalker, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bottom Obi-Wan Kenobi, Dimension Travel, Eventual Happy Ending, Fix-It, Force Bond (Star Wars), Human Disaster Anakin Skywalker, M/M, Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug, Possessive Behavior, Protective Anakin Skywalker, Sith Anakin Skywalker, Suitless Darth Vader, Top Anakin Skywalker, Vaderwan, and slow burn Obikin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-19
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2020-01-16 10:42:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 48,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18519808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/little_tales/pseuds/little_tales
Summary: Pausing the holovid, Mace looked from Anakin to Obi-Wan. "This holovid was taken on planet Redoran two days ago."In the holovid, the golden-eyed Anakin looked at someone outside the camera frame. There was something distinctly hungry and possessive about that gaze. It made a shiver run up Obi-Wan's spine--because he recognized that look. He'd seen Anakin look that way at Senator Amidala.But it wasn't Senator Amidala who stepped into the camera frame. It wasn't Senator Amidala whom the Sith yanked closer and kissed.It was Obi-Wan.[Pre-ROTS. Obi-Wan and Anakin are sent to investigate the sighting of a Sith Anakin, who appears to be in a relationship with an older version of Obi-Wan.]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The amazing [oskalk ](https://oskalk.tumblr.com/post/184996590654/anakin-is-kneeling-thats-why-he-is-shorter-than)  
> and  
> [ orientalld ](https://orientalld.tumblr.com/post/190231796702/when-abyss-stares-back-at-you-padawans) have created beautiful pieces of artwork inspired by this story. Thank you!
> 
> [ Chinese translation](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22028842/chapters/52572370)

* * *

When Obi-Wan answered his comlink, the first thing he noticed was that Master Windu had a very strange expression on his face. 

"Master Kenobi, is Skywalker with you?" It wasn't said with rebuke, but there was a hint of it, nonetheless.

Obi-Wan met his gaze calmly, refusing to feel like a chastised youngling. He knew that he and Anakin should have already stopped sharing quarters now that they were no longer a master-padawan pair, but strictly speaking, nothing in the Code forbade it. Besides, they _would_ move into separate quarters. Just...not yet. The transition wasn't easy, after a decade of sharing everything.

"I'm here," Anakin said, stepping closer and laying a hand on Obi-Wan's back to look at Windu's holo over his shoulder.

Obi-Wan held himself very still, trying not to lean back into the touch.

Anakin had always been free with his touches in a way Obi-Wan simply wasn't. In the first few years of their master-padawan relationship, it had been difficult for Obi-Wan to adjust to how much his padawan needed to touch him in order to feel grounded. But adjusted he had. In fact, he adjusted a little too well. So well that now he felt _strange_ without Anakin's touching him in some way all the time.

Those touches had become quite rare in the past few years. Obi-Wan was not sure when when the change had happened. Perhaps after Geonosis, or ever since Anakin met Senator Amidala again.

Obi-Wan pushed the thought away. He preferred to never think about it. If he didn't think about it, he would not have to report it to the Council, and he couldn't do it. He could not lose his padawan.

Attachment was a dangerous thing indeed.

Obi-Wan knew it wasn't the Jedi way. A good Jedi would never put his padawan first. Force, there was no _his_ padawan. Anakin was no longer a padawan, and he certainly wasn't Obi-Wan's anything. Jedi didn't have possessions, and even if they did, they definitely didn't think possessively of sentient beings. This... attachment to Anakin was dangerous. It didn't matter that Anakin was the sole reason he had been able to pick himself up after his own master's death. It didn't matter that over the years, the boy had become the center of his world. It didn't matter that sometimes he felt so proud when he looked at the strong young man his padawan had become that he nearly burst with it. He _must_ let go. He must put an end to this. He must make Anakin move into his own quarters. And he must sever their bond--he should have done it a year ago.

"We have a...situation," Master Windu said, tearing Obi-Wan away from his thoughts. "We need you both here. Immediately."

Obi-Wan was left staring at his comlink in bemusement.

"Weird," Anakin commented, his nose brushing against Obi-Wan's ear as he pulled back.

Obi-Wan inhaled deeply and put his comlink away.

This was unacceptable.

Obi-Wan cleared his throat and headed for the door. "Let's go. The matter seems urgent."

Anakin fell into step with him. "Windu seemed freaked out."

"Master Windu, Anakin," Obi-Wan corrected, but there was no reproach in his voice. He had long given up trying to make his padawan show respect for certain Council members. If he couldn't do it when Anakin had been young, he was unlikely to accomplish it when Anakin was a Jedi Knight.

Anakin rolled his eyes. "Well, he did. What do you think happened, Master?"

Obi-Wan refused to acknowledge the shameful warmth that spread in his chest at the title. It shouldn't have pleased him that Anakin still persisted with calling him Master.

"Patience, my very young Padawan," Obi-Wan said before he could stop himself. He grimaced on the inside and released his frustration into the Force. Anakin wasn't the only one still having trouble letting go of obsolete titles.

Anakin snorted. "I'm twenty, Master. Hardly very young."

_That isn't what you should be objecting to._

"Compared to your old master, you're very young indeed."

"You aren't old," Anakin said with a scoff. "Out of my agemates, I have the youngest master. If you shaved off your beard, you'd look my age, old man."

"That is an exaggeration," Obi-Wan said. Though, truth be told, he'd grown out his beard because he had become tired of others constantly commenting on him having a grown padawan at his young age. Such comments had always made him feel... inadequate. It also hadn't helped that Anakin became taller than him at the age of sixteen.

"It isn't," Anakin said, knocking their shoulders together. "Want to bet that people will never guess that you were my master if you shave off your beard?"

"I'm not shaving off my beard, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, stroking it reflexively. After years with it, it felt like a part of him.

"Are you afraid to show people your baby face, Master?" Anakin teased, smirking.

Obi-Wan gave him a flat look as they stopped in front of the Council doors. "A Jedi doesn't allow his fear to rule him."

"Then prove it," Anakin said, his blue eyes flashing with challenge. "I dare you to shave off your beard, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan sighed. "This is childish, Anakin."

Anakin smirked again. "So you _are_ afraid."

Obi-Wan pinched the bridge of his nose. "Very well. Now I believe we were summoned--urgently."

Grinning in triumph, Anakin went ahead of him into the Council room.

Obi-Wan followed.

He sensed that something was amiss the moment he stepped inside. The members of the Council had frowns on their faces, the Force around them disturbed. Even Yoda seemed uneasy.

"Master Kenobi, Skywalker," Mace said.

Obi-Wan felt Anakin's annoyance and nearly grimaced. He knew it bothered Anakin that Mace didn't address him as Knight Skywalker, and in this, Obi-Wan was inclined to agree with Anakin.

"Is there a problem, Master Windu?" Obi-Wan said.

Mace pursed his lips before turning the holoprojector on.

Frowning, Obi-Wan looked at the holovid of... Anakin.

Except it wasn't Anakin--it couldn't be Anakin. The man in the holovid looked a little different. His hair was longer, tied back, and his face was more hardened, a little older. He could be anywhere from twenty-five to thirty.

And then the Anakin in the holovid turned.

Obi-Wan's breath caught in his throat.

Anakin had golden eyes. The eyes of a Sith.

For a moment, Obi-Wan hoped that it was just a trick of light. Colored holovids weren't of the best quality. It was possible that there was something wrong with the image quality.

Yet it wasn't likely. The Council's technicians had likely checked it already.

"What the kriff is this?" Anakin growled, staring at the holovid with mounting anger and fear.

Obi-Wan laid a hand on his shoulder. "It isn't you, Anakin," he said steadily, ignoring his own unease. "Whatever it is, it isn't you. Calm down."

Anakin took a deep breath, his very blue eyes meeting Obi-Wan's for a moment before he turned back to the holovid. "It isn't me," he said tersely, his voice a little unsteady before becoming firmer. "What is the meaning of this, Masters?"

Pausing the holovid, Mace looked from Anakin to Obi-Wan. "This holovid was taken on planet Redoran two days ago. The woman who took it is apparently a huge fan of the Team." Windu said the word as if he tasted something sour. "She was delighted to see the Hero With No Fear in person, but then..." Mace unpaused the holovid.

The golden-eyed Anakin turned and looked at someone outside the camera frame. There was something distinctly hungry and possessive about that gaze. It made a shiver run up Obi-Wan's spine--because he recognized that look. He'd seen Anakin look that way at Senator Amidala.

But it wasn't Senator Amidala who stepped into the camera frame.

It wasn't Senator Amidala whom the Sith yanked closer and kissed.

It was Obi-Wan.

The holovid ended.

Obi-Wan couldn't breathe.

Feeling lost and far too warm, he looked at Anakin.

Anakin, whose face was red, his lips parted and blue eyes wide with shock. "What--" he managed. "I don't understand."

Windu snorted, but before he could say anything, Yoda cut in, "Are not you, they are. Look older, they seem. Two theories about it, we have."

Obi-Wan's mind raced. He could guess what theories they had. There had been precedents. There were a few similar events recorded in the Jedi archives. Either their counterparts were from another dimension...or they were from their future.

Obi-Wan cleared his throat. "I assure you, Masters, that they cannot be from our future," he said stiffly. "I have full faith in Anakin. He would never Fall." _And he would never kiss me like that when he's in a love with Senator Amidala._

"Hmm," Yoda said, looking at him thoughtfully. "Inclined to agree with you, I am. From our timeline, they are unlikely to be. Changed it already, their arrival has. Your future, they are not necessarily are."

Anakin, who so far had seemed unable to speak, finally managed, "Are you sending us to capture them?"

"Hmm," Yoda said, looking between him and Obi-Wan. "Unsure of this course of action, I am. The Sith might be dangerous, but Skywalker he still is. Cautious, we must be yet not hostile. Speak to them, you must try. Information, we sorely need."

Obi-Wan nodded. Yoda was right. Since their counterparts were clearly older, they likely had very valuable information they needed--like the identity of the Sith lord, Dooku's Master.

"We'll be taking off immediately," Obi-Wan said, bowing to the Council.

Anakin's bow was more of a cold nod. Obi-Wan could sense his former padawan's inner turmoil: confusion and shame mixed with the anger and fear Obi-Wan had been sensing from him far too often lately.

"Those people are not us, Anakin," Obi-Wan reminded him gently, without looking at him.

"Of course they aren't," Anakin scoffed. "I would never betray--" He cut himself off.

"The Order?" Obi-Wan said tonelessly.

"Yes. That's what I meant." Anakin sighed as they reached his ship. "It's just so kriffing strange, Master. I mean--the Sith thing aside, I just can't imagine..."

"Kissing your old master?" Obi-Wan said with a chuckle that sounded a little off to his own ears, but thankfully, Anakin could be very unobservant when he was distracted.

Anakin ran a hand through his hair, his gaze not quite meeting Obi-Wan's. "It's not that, Obi-Wan." He laughed a little. "It would be a lie to say that I never thought about kissing you when I was a teenager. I mean, every padawan has a bit of a crush on their master, right?"

"I wouldn't know," Obi-Wan said when he finally found his voice. "I don't remember having a crush on Qui-Gon."

Anakin wrinkled his nose. "Qui-Gon was old. He had taught _two_  grown padawans before you. He was practically ancient! Of course you didn't have a crush on him. But you... I used to think you were..." A slight flush appeared on his tanned cheeks. "I thought you were very pretty." He got into the pilot seat and cleared his throat. "Anyway, that phase passed ages ago, and I'm not that hormonal kid anymore. Obviously I've grown out of it, Master."

Obi-Wan didn't allow himself to dwell on it. Anakin was right: it didn't matter now. Anakin was clearly in love with Senator Amidala and any teenage infatuation he'd used to feel for his old master was long in the past.

He took the co-pilot seat and looked out the window as Anakin did the pre-flight checks. The routine was comforting in its familiarity, Anakin's Force signature brushing against his.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes. Truth be told, he missed this, missed such quiet missions between just him and Anakin. They had become rare. They both were generals now, their missions heavily involving hundreds of clones, and they were rarely alone like this. When they were back on Coruscant, Anakin usually disappeared in the direction of the Senate, and Obi-Wan tried not to think who his former padawan was visiting there: Senator Amidala or the Chancellor. Both options were equally disquieting, for different reasons.

Or perhaps for the same reason. Obi-Wan felt like he was losing Anakin to them, little by little, their relationship no longer as close as it used to be. Perhaps Anakin was still feeling resentment toward him for not listening to his fears about his mother's death. Or perhaps it was something else. Whatever the reason, Obi-Wan couldn't remember the last time Anakin had confided in him about truly important things and it pained him, pained him more than it should have.

His bright-eyed padawan had become a man, and he didn't need his old master anymore.

Unfortunately, Obi-Wan couldn't say the same about himself.

"Do you really believe I would never Fall, Master?"

Yanked away from his thoughts, Obi-Wan looked at Anakin.

Anakin's eyes were on the sky as he maneuvered the ship through the traffic, but Obi-Wan could sense the tension in him, how much his attention was on Obi-Wan.

"Everyone has the potential to Fall," Obi-Wan said, frowning as he chose his words carefully. "But I do believe in you--in your loyalty, your..." He paused, struggling to find appropriate words. Some Negotiator indeed. "You're brave, Anakin. You're a fine Jedi, and most importantly, you have a good heart. You are not capable of atrocities the Sith commit on a daily basis. You're strong, and I... I'm proud of you. I believe in you."

Anakin was biting his lip, trying and failing to hide how pleased by Obi-Wan's words he was. But there was also something else. Guilt?

"You think too highly of me, Obi-Wan," Anakin said quietly, without looking at him. "I...I nearly Fell after my mother's death."

Obi-Wan shook his head. "It doesn't count. Grief is--"

"I killed the Tuskens who tortured her. All of them, the whole village."

Obi-Wan stared at him. Anakin wouldn't meet his eyes, his Force presence wary, as if he was bracing himself for an attack.

And yet, Obi-Wan couldn't sense any regret from him. Guilt--yes, but not regret. Given a choice, Anakin would do it again.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes and whispered, "I see." He had never felt like such a failure of a master. He had failed Anakin. He had failed his own master, too. "I should have let another, more experienced Jedi train you. Someone wiser."

Anakin's head whipped around. "No, Master!" Putting the ship on autopilot, Anakin grabbed Obi-Wan's hands and squeezed them. "Don't say that. You were the best master I could wish for."

Obi-Wan smiled sadly. "You simply don't know better. You have nothing to compare to."

Anakin shook his head, his eyes flashing stubbornly as his jaw clenched. "You are my master and I never wished for another." He brought Obi-Wan's hand to his mouth and pressed his lips against Obi-Wan's knuckles, stroking the fingers.

Obi-Wan shivered, shameful warmth pulling to his lower stomach.

"I never wanted another master," Anakin said, looking him in the eye intently. "Even when your perfect Jedi act pissed me off, I always admired you. I wished I could be like you. You're so _good_." Anakin smiled ruefully, nuzzling into his hand a little. "I'm not good. Not like you, Obi-Wan." He kissed his fingers again.

Obi-Wan yanked his hand away and got to his feet. His knees felt unsteady. "I--I need to meditate." He practically fled toward his cabin, feeling Anakin's confused gaze on his back.

Locking the door and leaning back against it, Obi-Wan tried to clear his mind.

He tried to recite the Jedi Code.

He tried to tell himself how wrong it was.

He still ended up pressing his hand to his mouth and inhaling deeply, like a substance addict needing a fix. He shuddered, imagining that he could feel Anakin's scent on his fingers. Anakin's _mouth_ had been there. His Anakin's.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes, trying to release his arousal and his shame into the Force and failing.

He felt pathetic. He _was_ pathetic.

A perfect Jedi, indeed.

Anakin had no idea.


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

They arrived on Planet Redoran twelve hours later, thanks to the combination of Anakin's reckless flying, risky ship upgrades, and irresponsible use of unprotected hyperspace lanes.

"I'm never getting on your ship again," Obi-Wan said as he unbuckled himself.

"That's a lie, and you know it," Anakin said, jumping out of the ship. He sighed and pulled his hood up as they were greeted with a heavy snowfall. "Why do we never get missions on paradise planets? I kriffing hate snow. It's nearly as bad as sand."

Obi-Wan followed him outside, shivering despite the warmer robes they'd changed into on the ship. While he didn't hate snow, he certainly wasn't comfortable in subzero temperatures.

"We did have a mission on Sergusa a few months ago," Obi-Wan reminded him.

"Which we spent indoors, mediating some boring conflict," Anakin grumbled, heading toward the bar their counterparts were seen at three days ago. "What would the Sith even want on a planet like Redoran? There's next to no civilization here. It's a wonder someone here actually owned a holocamera to record them."

"One holocamera was enough for the holovid to go viral," Obi-Wan said, very dryly.

Anakin pulled a face. "Even Padme saw it already."

Obi-Wan looked away. "Did she? What did Senator Amidala think of it?"

Anakin chuckled. "Mostly she was amused."

"She was amused that you are a Sith in another life?" Obi-Wan said, his voice carefully neutral.

Perhaps it wasn't neutral enough, because Anakin shot him a startled look. "No, of course not." He shrugged. "I'm not sure she even knows that the Sith have golden eyes. We never really talk about the Force."

Privately, Obi-Wan thought it was strange that Anakin kept such a vital part of his life from the woman he was in love with.

"She was amused by all the overreactions online," Anakin said. "Did you know that there are apparently fans who actually think we--as in, you and me--are together?"

Obi-Wan averted his gaze again.

Of course he knew about it. He avoided the HoloNet for a reason.

It was actually Master Windu who had brought the matter to Obi-Wan's attention. It was the single most awkward conversation of Obi-Wan's life. Apparently ever since he and Anakin had gained their unwanted fame, they had gathered a huge following of young women who thought of them as celebrities. Those fans were apparently fascinated by their obvious chemistry on the battlefield and their rather intriguing closeness, which caused endless speculations on the HoloNet.

When Mace had asked if Obi-Wan would like to be assigned to separate missions, to distance himself from Anakin in public, Obi-Wan had said no. As much as the speculations made him uncomfortable, he was unwilling to lose Anakin because of them. It was bad enough that the distance between them had been steadily growing ever since Anakin had become a Knight. Obi-Wan didn't feel like he was ready to lose what little time together they had.

The mere notion of them having _fans_ was still baffling to Obi-Wan. War wasn't something to be excited about. They lost friends every day on the battlefield, and every battle they won together was a messy, painful, and disheartening affair. It bewildered Obi-Wan that instead of being concerned about the war, people saw them as attractive celebrities--and wasted their time speculating on whether there was something between them or not.

The latter was particularly discomforting. Obi-Wan couldn't help but wonder if those people had _noticed_. If they noticed him looking at Anakin in a way he shouldn't.

In any case, the fact that their relationship had been under public scrutiny lately didn't sit well with Obi-Wan. He couldn't imagine how much worse things would be now that the holovid was everywhere on the HoloNet.

"I did," Obi-Wan said evenly, as if they were talking about the weather rather than discussing the fact that they had fans who thought they were in an intimate relationship.

Anakin gave him a look Obi-Wan couldn't quite read. "How are you so calm about it, Master? Aren't you offended?"

Obi-Wan shrugged. "We have the war to worry about, Anakin. Some ridiculous speculations are not worth our attention."

Anakin gave a clipped nod, still radiating bewilderment.

"Anyway," Anakin said. "Padme and I couldn't really talk about it--you know the communication with Senate members is never really secure. The media could have been listening to us. So I'm not sure what she actually thought. Padme is good at putting on her politician face, just like you, Master."

"I'm hardly a politician, Anakin."

"You could be one. Actually, if there's a world where I'm a Sith, I bet there's a world where you're a politician."

That Obi-Wan couldn't argue against. He still couldn't believe that Anakin, any Anakin, could become a Sith. It seemed unthinkable. But then again, he wouldn't have believed that Anakin was capable of killing an entire Tusken village if Anakin didn't tell him that himself.

Perhaps his attachment was blinding him.

The thought was... alarming. It made him doubt himself, doubt his ability to see the potential for Darkness in his former padawan.

Obi-Wan was still mulling it over when they finally reached the bar.

The interior was warm and inviting, a nice contrast to the subzero temperatures outside. Obi-Wan's gaze swept around the room, but he couldn't see their counterparts. Of course, that would be too easy. Their counterparts were likely long gone. Obi-Wan could only hope they would be able to find a trail.

He was still considering the best way to proceed when Anakin suddenly grabbed his wrist and rather roughly dragged him toward the table in the corner. Having learned to trust Anakin's instincts, Obi-Wan didn't resist, even as Anakin all but shoved him into the leather seat and then sat next to him. He didn't pull his hood down.

"Is there a reason for this treatment, Anakin, or did you just feel like manhandling me?" Obi-Wan said mildly, glancing around the bar, but not noticing anything amiss. He had to admit Anakin chose a good table, not far from the door, but with a good view and a wall behind them so that they didn't have to watch their backs.

"We're being watched," Anakin said quietly, putting an arm on the back of Obi-Wan's seat, his other hand near the lightsaber hidden under his robes. His body was tense, radiating wariness and aggression. 

Obi-Wan frowned. He couldn't sense anything, but then again, Anakin had always been more attuned to the Force.

And sure enough, a big, scowling humanoid headed toward them. "You! You thought I wouldn't recognize you if you pull your hood up?"

Anakin raised his eyebrows, his muscles relaxing a little as he clearly dismissed the humanoid as a threat. "We met?"

The humanoid went red in the face. "Don't you pretend you don't remember me, you karking druk! You two left without paying for the room! And you should pay me for the broken bed, too!"

Obi-Wan's face became warm from what the humanoid was implying. He felt Anakin stiffen beside him, but he didn't dare look at him. Couldn't.

"Not to mention you scared my customers!" the humanoid kept ranting. "My hotel is a respectable establishment, not some filthy hole for the deviants!" He sneered. "Look, personally, I don't give a kark what you do to your whore, but you could have gagged him and used him without breaking my property! Give me my credits."

Obi-Wan struggled to keep his expression blank. Cursing his pale skin, he averted his gaze and forced his breathing to slow down.

"I don't remember us damaging the bed all that much," Anakin said, his voice sounding strange to Obi-Wan's ears but probably perfectly normal to a stranger. "Why don't you show us the damage and then we'll see if we pay for it?"

The humanoid grunted something in affirmative and then turned away, clearly expecting them to follow him.

They did.

The "hotel" in question was a shabby, two-story building nearby. Their companion led them to the tiny room on the first floor.

"See? The bed is useless now!"

"You want to leave," Obi-Wan said, applying the Force into his voice. "You have more important things to do than worry about one broken bed."

"I want to leave," the humanoid repeated, his eyes glazing over. "I have more important things to do than worry about one broken bed."

He left, and Obi-Wan closed the door behind him.

Turning around, he found Anakin staring at the broken bed with a strangest look on his face, his tanned cheeks slightly red.

Obi-Wan cleared his throat. "Do you sense anything, Anakin? Can you sense what their intentions might be?"

Anakin shot him an incredulous look and let out a choked laugh. "All I can sense is a lot of fucking, Master. Do you want to know how many times my other self had the other you in this very room?"

Fighting his blush and ignoring the rush of arousal, Obi-Wan gave him a flat look. "Don't be crude, Anakin." Though, truth be told, Anakin was right. Even he could sense the residual pleasure in the room. Powerful Force-sensitives could leave imprints in the Force when they were experiencing strong emotions, and the only emotion Obi-Wan could feel here that wasn't lust was an overwhelming, twisted possessiveness that felt distinctly like Anakin's. The Sith Anakin felt a little different in the Force from his Anakin--but disturbingly, not as different as Obi-Wan had expected.

It was highly unsettling.

Anakin snorted, looking around the room. "If I wanted to be crude, I would tell you that my Sith self really liked forcing his cock down your throat and making you take it, Master."

Obi-Wan had to look away and breathe deeply, incredibly glad for the thick robes he was wearing. Force, give him strength. He knew that Anakin was just angry and confused by the situation, which caused him to be so aggressive and vulgar, but it was still hard to be around Anakin when he was acting this way. Obi-Wan knew Anakin must be wondering and worrying about what had happened to Senator Amidala of that other world for his Sith counterpart to be involved with Obi-Wan, of all people. That was probably why Anakin was being so crude and snappish.

"You don't sound very shocked by his sexual preferences," Obi-Wan commented, not knowing what else to say.

Anakin let out a laugh. "Master, do you really want to have this conversation? I don't want you to faint."

Obi-Wan met his gaze, unimpressed. "Being a Jedi doesn't equal being a saint. I think you might have a wrong perception of me, Anakin."

Anakin smiled. "Obi-Wan, I live with you, remember? You've been practically a monk ever since you took me as your padawan. I'd know it better than anyone. Obviously you have had plenty of people trying to seduce you over the years, but either you pretended not to notice or I scared them off."

Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes. "You scared them off?"

Anakin shrugged, unashamed. "Sometimes. They annoyed me with all their disgusting drooling. You're too good for them. Obviously I couldn't let them put their dirty paws all over my master. You're too nice for your own good, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan wanted to laugh. Anakin's idealistic views of him were rather endearing. If Anakin knew the truth, he might be the one who would faint.

It was curious. Obi-Wan had noticed Anakin's tendency to put Senator Amidala on a pedestal, thinking she was some kind of angel, but until now, he'd never noticed that Anakin thought of him in a similar way.

He wasn't sure how he felt about it.

"I'm hardly a saint, Anakin," Obi-Wan said dryly, shaking his head. "And I assure you I definitely haven't been a monk since I took you as my padawan."

Anakin's head whipped toward him, his eyes narrowing. For a moment, it almost looked as though he would demand names, but then Anakin visibly reined himself in, probably realizing how ridiculous it was.

He was such a mess of a human being, Obi-Wan thought, feeling a rush of fondness. Anakin's thought process could be so bizarre at times. Obi-Wan was quite sure even Anakin didn't understand his own thoughts and emotions sometimes, so messy and complicated they were.

"Are you...Are you saying you had casual sex?" Anakin said, managing to sound both vaguely scandalized and angry. "But you're--"

Obi-Wan smiled crookedly. "A Jedi? Casual sexual encounters are not forbidden for a Jedi, Anakin. The problems start when they are not casual."

Anakin shook his head slowly, still looking like Obi-Wan had just turned his world upside down, anger and confusion rolling off him in thick waves. "But you're--you're _Obi-Wan_. You're not supposed to have _casual sex_!"

Obi-Wan's amusement shifted into puzzlement. Anakin sounded almost betrayed. It was too ridiculous, even by Anakin's bizarre standards.

"That is hardly relevant to the mission," Obi-Wan said, resolved to meditate on this later. He looked around the room, looking for any clues. There were none. Obi-Wan pinched the bridge of his nose. "Perhaps we should try thinking like them. They are us, after all."

Scowling, Anakin didn't look pleased by the change of subject, his gaze still vaguely accusing.

Ignoring it, Obi-Wan paced the room. "It is a little strange that they didn't pay for the room. When people don't want to attract attention, they try not to leave a trail of disgruntled hotel owners in their wake."

"Maybe they just didn't have credits."

Obi-Wan shook his head, stroking his beard and distractedly thinking that it was a good thing Anakin didn't seem to remember their ridiculous bet about the beard. "A Sith of your considerable talents would find a way to steal credits if he has to. No. It's something else."

"Maybe they did want to be found," Anakin said.

Obi-Wan considered it. "It's possible. It would also explain why they simply didn't will the owner to forget about them. But if it is the case, where are they?"

"Wait," Anakin said, suddenly walking to the mirror and picking up a tiny listening device. He cocked his head to the side, studying it. "This looks like something I would create if I had limited resources. Crude but effective in a limited range--" He stiffened and lifted his head, looking at the door. "They're here."

After a moment, Obi-Wan could feel them, too.

Putting his hand on his lightsaber, he stepped closer to Anakin, who already had his own lightsaber in his hand.

"We're here to talk," Obi-Wan reminded both for Anakin's sake and for their counterparts,' who had likely listened to their entire conversation.

"Master Yoda said we should 'try' talking to them, and he's also known for saying that there's no try. Yoda is full of Bantha crap."

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan rebuked him, though against his better judgement, his lips twitched.

Anakin grinned at him just as the door opened and another Anakin strode in, all dark robes and hard golden eyes.

Obi-Wan knew he should be wary of him. This was a Sith. But try as he might, he couldn't be afraid of Anakin.

 _'He isn't me,'_ Anakin told him through their bond.

Obi-Wan flinched, startled. It had been a long time since Anakin opened their bond enough to actually communicate through it.

 _'I know he isn't, dear one,'_ Obi-Wan said, unable to stop the endearment. It was harder to keep himself in check when they communicated through the bond.

He struggled to focus on their counterparts, their reopened bond incredibly distracting. It had been so long since Obi-Wan was able to feel Anakin so intimately; it was almost overwhelming how good it felt.

Trying not to give away how distracted he was, Obi-Wan forced himself to keep his attention on their counterparts.

The other Anakin and Obi-Wan were eyeing them curiously, their positions mirroring theirs.

"You're not a Sith," Anakin said suddenly, addressing the other Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan frowned, looking at his counterpart. He'd paid him little attention in the holovid, too shocked by Anakin's eyes and the kiss to notice the color of the other Obi-Wan's eyes. Now he did.

They were gray-blue, just like his.

The other Obi-Wan smiled, looking at the younger Anakin a little wistfully. "I almost forgot how beautiful your true eyes were."

That made the Sith's golden eyes narrow. He put a hand on his Obi-Wan's shoulder and squeezed it with his metal hand, clearly hard enough to hurt. "Careful, old man," he said.

The other Obi-Wan didn't even wince, clearly used to pain.

Obi-Wan frowned, a little disturbed. Beside him, his Anakin scowled, glaring at his counterpart.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan said, addressing the Sith.

The Sith actually flinched. "My name is Darth Vader," he said harshly and pulled his companion closer. "And this is my...pet, Ben."

The other Obi-Wan smiled sadly at their shocked faces. "You really should call me Ben or things would get confusing very quickly."

 _'What the kark, Master?'_ Anakin said through their bond, his bewilderment warring with his anger.

Obi-Wan shook his head dazedly.

If someone told him a day ago that there was a world where Anakin refused to be called by his own name, a world where Anakin turned him into a pet, a _slave,_ Obi-Wan would have laughed.

He didn't feel like laughing now.

He looked into the Sith's cruel, golden eyes, and deep in his soul, a new fear was born.

A fear that he wouldn't be able to stop his Anakin from Falling.


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

As a general of the Grand Army of the Republic, Obi-Wan was used to dealing with loss, pain, and grief on the battlefield. He had learned to compartmentalize them, learned how to push the pain away in order to continue his mission.

That skill had never been more useful for him as he tried to wrap his mind around an Anakin who treated people--Obi-Wan--as a thing. His padawan hated slavery with his whole being. Could Falling change the person so much?

Pushing his own confusion and pain away, Obi-Wan tried to send soothing emotions to Anakin through their bond, knowing how much his padawan needed it at the moment.

Anakin grabbed at Obi-Wan's mental presence greedily, wrapping his own around it, until their Force signatures were entwined so tightly Obi-Wan wasn't sure where he ended and Anakin began. Perhaps it wasn't wise to blend their Force signatures so, but Obi-Wan couldn't help but take comfort in Anakin and soothe Anakin's own confusion and anger.

Feeling somewhat calmer, Obi-Wan said, "What do you want?" He was addressing Vader, since it was unlikely that Obi-Wan's counterpart was doing anything out of his own volition.

Vader was looking between Obi-Wan and Anakin, his golden eyes narrowed in an assessing manner. Obi-Wan wondered if he could sense how unusually strong the bond between them was at the moment. The thought was disquieting, but Obi-Wan couldn't bring himself to untangle their Force signatures. It kept him grounded. It reminded him that _his_ Anakin was there, with him, and that this man with sickeningly yellow eyes wasn't the boy he'd raised, taught, and built his life around.

"I want a Sith holocron locked in the vault under the Jedi temple," the Sith said at last. "It is stored as Holocron 6 and can be retrieved only by Yoda."

Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows. "And why couldn't you get the holocron in your own dimension?"

"That is none of your concern," Vader said harshly.

"The Temple's vaults were destroyed in our world," Ben said quietly, earning a glare from Vader. "And Master Yoda is dead, like all Jedi."

Obi-Wan swallowed. "All of them?" he managed.

Ben's eyes were full of pain and sorrow. "The Jedi Order is destroyed in our world. The Republic, too."

Vader's face was thunderous as he glowered at Ben. "One more word, and you are dead."

Ben met his gaze steadily, not looking intimidated at all. "You threaten to kill me every day, Darth."

Vader's lips thinned in displeasure, his anger like a dark cloud in the Force.

Anakin cleared his throat, his grip tight on his lightsaber. "Why would we give a Sith a valuable holocron? It must be immensely valuable if you traveled to another _dimension_ for it."

Vader's attention turned to his younger self, and Obi-Wan realized with a rush of fondness that it was Anakin's intention all along: he wanted to protect Ben from Vader's ire.

Force, how could someone like Anakin, someone so protective, turn into something like Vader? Obi-Wan's mind still struggled to grasp it.

"If you give me the holocron, I will tell you the identity of the Sith Lord, Dooku's master," Vader said. "I'll tell you how to thwart his plans. With that information, you could stop the Jedi Order and the Republic from being destroyed." From his tone, it was obvious how little he personally cared about it, but it was also obvious that he wasn't above using that intelligence as a leverage.

Obi-Wan exchanged a look with Anakin. If what their counterparts said about their world was true, if Dooku's master was going to destroy the Order and the Republic, it really was a very tempting offer. But how could they trust a Sith? How could they entrust him with a Sith holocron that would likely be used as a weapon?

"What do you want with the holocron?" Obi-Wan said after a moment, returning his gaze to Vader. "And before you say that it's none of my business, think again. If there's anything of Anakin left in you, you know me. You know I would never give you the holocron if that would endanger the world."

The Sith sneered. It was such an ugly look that it managed to make even Anakin's handsome features ugly.

"He wants it to stop death," Ben said suddenly, with a small, rueful smile. "Quite ironic, isn't it?"

Obi-Wan blinked.

"What?" Anakin said hoarsely.

Obi-Wan looked at his former padawan and his insides went cold when he saw something like interest on his face. Was that the reason Anakin Fell in that other world? Because he wanted to stop his loved ones from dying?

It was a frightening thought--because it was entirely plausible. Although Anakin had told him very little about his mother's death, Obi-Wan was able to sense how much her death had shaken him, how powerless he felt at the time.

 _'Anakin, don't listen to him,_ ' Obi-Wan told him through the bond. ' _He's a Sith. They destroy everything we fight for.'_

Anakin's mind all but clung to him, but he was looking straight at Vader. "Whose death do you want to prevent?"

Obi-Wan's lips thinned.

Something cruel flickered in Vader's eyes as he looked between Anakin and Obi-Wan. "Not Skywalker's wife's," he said with a strange relish. "Padme is already dead."

Obi-Wan stopped breathing.

As though in a dream, he registered Ben reprimanding Vader for sharing things he had no right to tell. As though in a dream, he registered Anakin's panic mixed with grief and then panic again--panic that Obi-Wan had found out.

Obi-Wan released his own turbulent emotions into the Force.

 _'So it is true,'_ Obi-Wan said through their bond. ' _You married Senator Amidala.'_

' _Master--I wanted to tell, I did, but--'_

' _Not now, Anakin.'_ Now was neither the time nor the place.

Compartmentalizing his new knowledge and then pushing it away, Obi-Wan focused on their counterparts.

"You did it on purpose," he stated, looking at Vader. "You wanted to drive a wedge between me and Anakin. Why?"

Vader sneered. "Skywalker's pathetic attachment to you restricts his potential. Once he realizes that he can be so much more without you, he will finally grow into his powers."

"Is that why you still keep my counterpart around?" Obi-Wan said dryly.

Vader's rage was almost suffocating. It became literally suffocating when Obi-Wan felt an invisible hand wrap around his throat and start choking him.

It lasted just a few seconds, because Anakin Force-shoved Vader back, breaking his concentration. "Don't you dare touch him," he growled, his blue eyes dark with rage.

Vader regained his balance, his face twisted into a snarl as he eyed his younger counterpart balefully. "You are nothing compared to me. Weak, powerless, and stupid in your loyalty."

"I disagree," Ben said quietly. "Your loyalty has always been the best thing about you, Anakin, even if it was misplaced at times."

"You will be quiet," Vader snapped, before turning back to Anakin with a cruel little smile. "We both know that deep down, you're exactly like me, Skywalker. The Dark side calls to you, always has. Why don't you tell your dear master how you destroyed an entire Tusken village in your rage?"

"I'd hate to disappoint, but Anakin has already told me that," Obi-Wan said calmly, laying a hand on Anakin's stiff shoulder. He decided not to mention that Anakin told him about it just yesterday. "I trust Anakin completely, and he trusts me."

Vader's golden eyes flashed. "Then you're a fool, Jedi. He will end up destroying everything you hold dear. He will kill younglings, he will kill the Jedi you call friends, he will--"

"No, he won't," Obi-Wan said, tightening his mental presence around Anakin's and taking comfort in him. "He's not you, Sith. He's stronger. It takes strength to resist the Dark side. You're the weak one."

Vader laughed, shaking his head. "He doesn't have a fraction of my power. I'm the greatest Sith Lord to ever live. I am the Emperor of the Galactic Empire. People shake in fear and awe when they see me."

"Anakin certainly doesn't have a fraction of your self-importance," Obi-Wan said wryly. "I feel sorry for my counterpart if he has to listen to this all the time."

Glaring at him, Vader stalked forward--only to be stopped by Anakin's lightsaber at his throat.

"Keep away from my master," Anakin hissed, his voice sounding inhuman as he put himself between Obi-Wan and Vader.

Two Anakins glowered at each other, each unwilling to step back. Although their raw, natural power was similar and startlingly immense, their powers felt different. Vader's power was honed and bolstered by the Dark side while Anakin's was still not fully mastered, even though he was incredible with the lightsaber. Jedi were always learning and Anakin still had a lot to learn despite being a skilled Knight. Obi-Wan knew Anakin knew it, knew that his older self could likely beat him, but of course it didn't stop Anakin. It never had. He was called Hero With No Fear for a reason, after all. Anakin went against bad odds and rarely lost, a favored son of the Force.

Ben cleared his throat. "Antagonizing them is counterproductive to your plans, Darth," he said softly.

To Obi-Wan's surprise, that actually seemed to work as Vader stepped back.

Cocking his head, Obi-Wan glanced between Vader and Ben, looking at them with new eyes. He had assumed that Ben was nothing more than a toy kept by Vader for the sake of his ego, but perhaps it was more complicated than that. Vader _had_ kept Ben alive and relatively healthy, after all, while all the other Jedi were killed.

For the first time, Obi-Wan wondered if the "pathetic attachment" Vader accused Anakin of having for Obi-Wan was as eradicated in Vader as he claimed it to be.

"Let's return to the subject at hand," Vader said tersely. "I want a holocron the Jedi have no use for anyway in exchange for priceless information that will help you prevent the end of the Republic. I think I'm being entirely too generous here."

When put that way, his logic had merit.

"You do realize that it's not our decision to make, right?" Anakin said. "You said yourself that only Master Yoda can retrieve the holocron. Why didn't you go to the Council?"

Vader's face was like stone for a long moment. At last, he said, "The Sith Lord you're looking for was my master in our dimension. He might be able to sense me if I go to Coruscant and I would rather avoid attracting more attention than that karked holovid brought to us."

An unease twisted Obi-Wan's insides. Dooku's master was so close to the Jedi Temple?

"So that's why you were waiting for us here," Anakin stated. "You knew the Council would send someone to investigate, most likely us." He looked at the listening device in his hand. "We weren't the first to come looking for you, were we?"

Vader's lips twisted. "You aren't entirely stupid, Skywalker. Dooku was here before you, sent by his master no doubt. You just missed him, actually."

"You do realize you're Skywalker, too, right?" Anakin said with a snort. "When you call me stupid, you're calling that yourself."

Vader's anger felt like a toxic cloud in the Force. Compared to him, Anakin felt almost calm--annoyed and vaguely angry, but nothing like Vader. Obi-Wan was disturbed by how dangerously unbalanced Vader felt in the Force.

"I'm Darth Vader," Vader gritted out, his jaw working. "Anakin Skywalker died a long time ago, just like you will, you foolish boy, if you don't get me the holocron."

Obi-Wan looked at Ben and noticed that his counterpart's face was blank in the same way his own got when he was contemplating doing something ill-advised.

"Palpatine is the Sith Lord," Ben said, and all hell broke loose.

Growling in rage, Vader Force-shoved Ben against the wall so hard Ben's eyes became unfocused. Vader was on him immediately, his metal hand wrapping around Ben's throat and squeezing. "You filthy traitor," he hissed, suffocating rage rolling off him in thick waves. "I should have killed you ages ago! All you do is betray me!"

"Then kill me," Ben croaked out, looking Vader in the eye. "Kill me, Darth. I'm tired. Let me become part of the Force."

"Never," Vader snarled before slamming his mouth against Ben's.

Beyond uncomfortable, Obi-Wan looked away. His gaze fell on Anakin who was still watching their counterparts in a dazed way that suggested he was in shock.

Palpatine. Force, _Palpatine_.

 _'It can't be true,'_ Anakin said through their bond. ' _It can't. He's my friend, Master!'_

Obi-Wan wished he could agree. Palpatine... it made a horrible amount of sense now. His strange interest in Anakin, the way Anakin always came back from his meetings with the Chancellor a little more distant and distrustful: it all made sense now.

' _Ben has no reason to lie to us, Anakin,_ ' Obi-Wan told him softly. ' _And Vader's reaction confirmed his words.'_

' _They can't be trusted, they are both crazy, Master! Just look at them. Vader was trying to kill him a moment ago, and now they--'_ Anakin cut himself off, flushing.

Obi-Wan followed his gaze and flushed, too.

Their counterparts were kissing now, and Ben was clearly responding to Vader's kiss if the way he went absolutely pliant against Vader was any indication.

When they finally parted, Ben's eyes were glazed, his pupils blown, his face flushed and lips red and swollen. He looked aroused. He looked _obscene_.

Vader gave him a dark, possessive look, stroking gently the bruises he left on Ben's pale throat. "That's better. Remember who you belong to, old man."

Ben's gaze met Obi-Wan's. Obi-Wan didn't need him to say anything. He could see--and feel--the shame and resignation on his counterpart's face as if they were his own.

Obi-Wan's insides went cold with dread. He'd always feared that his...attachment to Anakin compromised his judgment, and now he had irrevocable proof that it really did.

If even Anakin's becoming a Sith couldn't stop him from being so _weak_  when it came to him, then what could?

Obi-Wan released his dread into the Force. It was irrelevant. His Anakin would never use such means of persuasion against him, so his judgment was in no danger of being compromised. Anakin would never want him, would never kiss him as if he wanted to consume him, would never look at him with naked hunger in his eyes.

Maybe in another world, he might have.

In this world, Anakin was married to Senator Amidala and absolutely in love with her, so he would never use Obi-Wan's weakness against him.

The thought failed to bring Obi-Wan comfort.

' _Master_?' Anakin said through the bond, his mental presence wrapping tightly around him. ' _What's wrong? You feel upset.'_

' _I'm not upset, Anakin,'_ Obi-Wan replied, allowing himself to bask in the warm sensation of Anakin's Force signature all around him and inside him, so familiar, so good, and so achingly right.

Just for a moment longer.

In a moment, Obi-Wan would pull back, become Jedi Master General Kenobi, emotionless and selfless, and go back to saving the world.

In a moment.

He caught Ben looking at him thoughtfully, something like sympathy in his eyes.

Or perhaps it was pity.

Obi-Wan straightened, reinforcing his mental shields. He couldn't bear being pitied by a man who was little more than a slave himself, a man who had lost everything. Even Ben's Anakin was lost to him. At least Obi-Wan still had Anakin as a dear friend. What did Ben have? Nothing but that cruel-eyed man wearing Anakin's face. Vader _wasn't_ Anakin.

Or was he?

Obi-Wan stared at Vader's possessive hand still lingering on Ben's neck. Vader leaned in to murmur something into Ben's ear, his lips brushing against Ben's earlobe. It looked incredibly intimate.

Obi-Wan looked away, a strange emotion twisting his stomach.

He pushed it into the Force, refusing to name it.

It wasn't important.

He was a Jedi Master, and he was...content with what he had.


	4. Chapter 4

* * *

When Obi-Wan finally finished his report, a grim-eyed Master Windu informed him that he would contact them once the Council made the decision. For now, they were ordered to keep their eyes on their counterparts and not let them out of their sight.

Obi-Wan hadn't told the Council about Palpatine, not trusting how secure the connection was, but he did stress that _no one_ in the Senate should be told about the deal Vader had offered them. Judging by Mace's grim expression, he understood what Obi-Wan was implying.

"May the Force be with you, Master Kenobi," Mace said in farewell.

Obi-Wan almost laughed as he switched off his comlink. He would certainly need the Force's guidance in such a bizarre situation.

He took in a deep breath before leaving the bridge and heading toward the living area of the ship where he'd left Anakin with their counterparts half an hour ago. He had half-expected to find Anakin and Vader at each other's throats, but to his surprise, all was quiet.

Curious, Obi-Wan masked his Force signature and cracked the door open.

Vader was sprawled on the couch, for all appearances, fast asleep. He looked absolutely relaxed, as if he weren't the sole Sith among the Jedi.

Tearing his gaze away from the baffling sight and trying not to think about how much like Anakin Vader looked when he wasn't sneering and being cruel on purpose, Obi-Wan shifted his gaze to Anakin and Ben. They were talking quietly, their faces serious.

His curiosity piqued, he focused and amplified his senses with the Force.

"Are you sick?" Anakin said.

Obi-Wan frowned and looked at his counterpart, whose face was unreadable.

"Pardon?" Ben said.

Anakin's lips thinned. "Look, I'm not an idiot. You feel...dimmer in the Force than my master. I also know myself. There are a limited number of people I would go to such lengths for to stop their death. Vader said that Padme"--He swallowed--"that she's dead in your world. If she was my wife in your world too, my mother is likely dead already. That leaves only Obi-Wan. Are you sick?"

Ben stared at Anakin over the rim of his cup before taking a sip of his tea and smiling faintly. "People always underestimate your sharp mind, my friend."

Anakin's expression tightened. "So it's true. You're ill. What is it?" He suddenly reached through their bond and wrapped his Force signature tightly around Obi-Wan's. Obi-Wan nearly staggered, almost betraying his location. He bit his lip, his eyes becoming unfocused from how good it felt. They should stop this, stop blending their Force signatures. It had started as mutual comfort when they were under a lot of stress, but it couldn't continue like this. It was too dangerous. Irresponsible. It was bad enough that they hadn't broken their master-padawan bond; this was so much worse. A master-padawan bond was never supposed to be used in this way.

"It isn't an illness in the normal sense of the word," Ben replied, dropping his gaze. "After Anakin Fell, Master Yoda told me to kill him. We dueled, but I...I couldn't bring myself to deal the killing blow. So I left. I hid on Tatooine, assuming the name 'Ben,' but Vader found me and captured me a few weeks later. He kept me alive, but he injected me with a drug that prohibited my ability to connect with the Force. As you might know, those drugs are highly experimental and are not meant to be used for a long term. They definitely were not meant to be taken for three years straight.

"It turned out my midi-chlorians couldn't survive so long without access to the Force. They started dying, and my body handled it poorly. My immune system wasn't used to dealing with viruses and diseases, too reliant on midi-chlorians to protect me. Eventually, I fell so ill that I couldn't leave bed for two months." He smiled ruefully at Anakin's horrified expression. "In Vader's defense, he didn't know that it would happen. When he realized what was happening, he stopped injecting me with the Force blockers, but it was too late. My midi-chlorian count is now lower than that of ordinary humans, almost non-existent, and it's irreversible."

Anakin swallowed. "What does it mean for your health?"

Ben shrugged slightly. "I feel weak and I fall sick easily. My organs are struggling to function without the midi-chlorians that supported them all my life. Doctors say that at this rate I will likely die within the next five years."

"What?! Surely it's a mistake, Obi-Wan! You're still young, even for ordinary humans."

Ben gave him a small smile. "How old do you think I am?"

"I don't know...Forty-five? Forty-six?"

"I'm forty-one," Ben said quietly. "I appear older than my age, because I'm aging much faster than normal. My body can't handle the stress. It was estimated that in the past seven months since my midi-chlorians died, I aged biologically by approximately four years." He smiled ruefully. "You can probably do the math."

Looking stricken, Anakin shook his head, denial written all over his face.

Ben gave him another soft smile.  
"You mustn't fear death, Anakin," he said. "Death is part of life. No one is ever really gone, dear one. Dead stay with you as part of the Force. Eventually, your master will die, too. You must accept it."

Anakin's mental presence _clung_ to Obi-Wan's through their bond. "No," he bit off. "I don't agree. My master will never die before me. I won't allow it!"

Ben looked at the sleeping Vader and sighed, his expression pinched. He shook his head, focusing his gaze back on Anakin. "You should learn to let go, Anakin. Fear of death was what made you Fall in my world. You-- _he_ became a Sith because he wanted to save Padme and his children--she was pregnant--but instead, his actions led to her death. His fear led to her death. Hers and thousands of others."

Anakin swallowed. "What about the--the children?"

A fond smile flickered across Ben's tired face. "They lived. Twins. They're with Ahsoka now until our return." He grimaced. "If we return."

Anakin eyed him. "You don't approve of this...mission."

"Of course not, Anakin. What Vader wants to do... it's against very nature." Ben closed his eyes, suddenly looking very old and very tired. "But there's nothing I can do to stop him. And truth be told, I do not particularly want to die. Luke and Leia need me."

"What about him?" Anakin said, gesturing to his sleeping counterpart. "Doesn't he need you, too?"

Ben's lips twisted. "I doubt it. Sith don't care about anything but power."

Anakin lifted his eyebrows. "For someone who doesn't care about anything but power, he sure seems to make a lot of effort to stop you from dying."

Ben looked away, his face closing off. His shoulders hunched as he sighed. "Vader doesn't like losing something to circumstances beyond his control. That is all."

Anakin looked at him skeptically, but Ben ignored it and said, "What are you planning to do after you leave the Order?"

Anakin blinked at him in bemusement.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes for a moment, pressing his cheek against the cool wall. Of course the consequences of their counterparts' arrival hadn't occurred to Anakin yet.

"You will have to leave the Order, Anakin," Ben said softly. "Your master now knows that you definitely betrayed your vows to the Order. Or do you expect my other self not to tell the Council about your marriage to Senator Amidala?"

Anakin's Adam's apple bobbed. "I don't want to leave the Jedi. It's the only thing I've wanted to be. My mother--" He cut himself off, swallowing.

Sighing, Obi-Wan unmasked his Force signature and stepped into the room.

Anakin's head whipped toward him, his blue eyes intense as they zeroed in on Obi-Wan. "Master," he croaked out.

A shiver went up Obi-Wan's spine. Ever since Anakin turned sixteen, Anakin's "Master" started to sound differently, more than a mere term of respect. At times, it sounded affectionate and playful, almost like a term of endearment. At times, it sounded resentful and angry. But it was _always_ laced with something distinctly possessive.

This time wasn't an exception. Anakin's "Master" tasted of stubborn, desperate possessiveness. It was as if Anakin was saying, _No matter what happens, you're my master. You must always be on my side. Mine._

Obi-Wan had always known about this side of Anakin, the side that remained a little boy who never had anything, a slave without any possessions and father, and with a mother that could be taken away from him any moment because neither of them owned themselves. That side of Anakin would always be possessive of things and people he considered his--and would always fear losing them.

It wasn't the Jedi way, but it was increasingly clear that Anakin wouldn't stay a Jedi long.

The thought brought a hollow feeling to Obi-Wan's chest.

Unlike his former padawan, Obi-Wan rarely ruminated on the unfairness of the universe. Yet now, he couldn't help but think that it wasn't fair. Anakin was one of the most skilled Knights the Order had ever seen, a great general, pilot and tactician. He was also a good person. It didn't seem fair that he would be forced to leave the Order while other, far less talented Jedi would remain.

And it was all because of--

Obi-Wan cut that train of thought off, appalled with himself. It wasn't Senator Amidala's fault. She was one of the few decent politicians he had ever met. She was an admirable woman, kind and selfless. It _was_ a good thing that Anakin would have such a good person to share his life with once he left the Jedi Order.

Swallowing the sudden tightness in his throat, Obi-Wan said, looking at his counterpart, "I spoke to the Council. Master Windu says they'll get back to us once they discuss Vader's offer." After Ben had revealed that Palpatine was the Sith Lord, Vader was forced to offer something else to secure their cooperation. He'd offered to help defeat the other Sith and stop the massacre of the Jedi Order, which was apparently done by someone else, not Darth Sidious. Vader refused to say what exactly caused the Jedi Order's massacre in their world, and for once, Ben said nothing, which was probably wise, considering how furious Vader had been because of his "betrayal."

"They will agree," Vader cut in suddenly, materializing behind Obi-Wan.

Suppressing an instinctive flinch, Obi-Wan wondered whether Vader had even been asleep. Judging by Ben's weary but unsurprised look, Vader probably hadn't been. Was it a test? For whom? Ben? Was Vader testing whether Ben would attempt to betray him again?

Obi-Wan wondered what it was like to be... involved with someone who didn't trust you at all but at the same time demanded complete loyalty. Such a thing couldn't be healthy. But then again, nothing about Vader and Ben's relationship seemed remotely healthy.

"Master, I need to talk you. Alone."

Obi-Wan tensed, his back still to Anakin. He knew he couldn't avoid this conversation forever. It was very un-Jedi of him to avoid it at all. And yet he felt... reluctant. Apprehensive. He and his padawan had clashed often enough in the past for Obi-Wan to know that he wasn't at his calmest where Anakin was concerned. Anakin was the closest thing he had to family, and at the same time, Anakin was the single most infuriating person Obi-Wan had met in his life. Anakin was the one person who could make him lose his temper, who could make him a little petty, a little selfish--and more than a little biased.

In the light of... recent revelations, Obi-Wan didn't trust himself to keep his head cool. He couldn't deny that he felt _hurt_ , hurt that Anakin had kept such an important thing as marriage from him. Then there was another kind of hurt, the one that wasn't rational, but which made it difficult for Obi-Wan to look Anakin in the eye and talk with him about his beloved _wife_.

And to make matters worse, everything Vader had said about Anakin ( _he will destroy everything you hold dear_ ) was still sounding in his mind, over and over, causing him to doubt Anakin and doubt himself, against his better judgement.

"Of course, Anakin," Obi-Wan said when the silence stretched awkwardly.

He headed back to the bridge and Anakin followed him, their counterparts following them with their eyes.

As the door closed behind Anakin, separating them from the others, Obi-Wan crossed his arms, staring at the space above Redoran."You should consider what my counterpart said," he said stiffly. "About your future outside the Jedi Order."

He could feel Anakin step closer. "I don't want a future outside the Order," Anakin said, just as stiffly.

Obi-Wan chuckled. "Perhaps you should have thought about it before you married Senator Amidala, Anakin."

Silence.

A beat passed, another.

Then, Obi-Wan felt Anakin's hands on his upper arms, his long fingers digging into his biceps. "Master, please." Anakin buried his face against Obi-Wan's nape, breathing raggedly. "Please don't be angry with me. I love her."

Obi-Wan closed his eyes, a lump forming in his throat. "It doesn't matter whether I'm angry with you or not," he said flatly. 'You made your choice, Anakin. And that choice isn't...the Jedi Order."

"Master," Anakin said hoarsely, the bond between them pulsing with his desperation. "If the Council makes me leave... what about you?"

Obi-Wan frowned in bemusement. "What about me? I will continue as I am." It was the biggest lie he'd ever told. He couldn't imagine how different his life would be without Anakin. How empty. Obi-Wan cleared his throat. "I will probably take another padawan--"

Anakin's hands tightened on his arms, his metal fingers digging into the flesh painfully. "No," Anakin bit off, his voice low and inhuman. "You can't take another padawan. You're _my_ master! _Mine_." He sank his teeth into the back of Obi-Wan's neck, sucking hard.

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan snapped, his eyes going wide. Red in the face, he pulled away and turned around. "What do you think you're doing?"

Anakin was flushed too, his eyes wild and startled. He rubbed at his own mouth absent-mindedly, as if he couldn't quite believe that it had really done that.

"You're my master," he said stubbornly, as if that explained his behavior. 

Obi-Wan gave him a pinched look. "First of all, I'm not, not anymore. Secondly, I don't think that word means what you think it means, Anakin." Anakin said "my master" in the same way one might say "my husband," as if that gave him certain privileges. 

Anakin's jaw clenched. He somehow managed to look confused and mulish at the same time.

"I'll go check on our guests," Anakin said stiffly and left.

Running a hand over his face, Obi-Wan sighed and sat down in the pilot's seat. He stared at the stars, his gaze unseeing. Against his will, his hand traveled to the back of his neck. He shivered and closed his eyes, ignoring the discomfort in his pants.

Meditation.

He needed to meditate.


	5. Chapter 5

* * *

 

Anakin closed the door to his cabin, suppressing the urge to slam it. He reminded himself he was a Jedi general, not a teenager; he should try to show _some_ restraint.

Leaning back against the door, Anakin ran a hand over his face, lingering on his lips.

Kriffing hell.

Why had he done it? Beyond the obvious, of course.

Anakin scowled, remembering again his Master's absolutely outrageous, _ridiculous_ idea to take another padawan. Why would Obi-Wan even need another padawan? Sure, it was very rare that Jedi masters took a single padawan during their lifetime, but there was no reason Obi-Wan couldn't be one of those exceptions. After all, wasn't he the Chosen One? One padawan with twenty thousand midi-chlorians was surely as good as three ordinary ones. It was simple math; Anakin was being entirely reasonable here. Obi-Wan was and would always be his only Master, therefore Anakin should always remain Obi-Wan's only padawan. It was only _fair_.

The mere thought of some other padawan calling _Anakin's_ Obi-Wan 'Master' made something horrible build in his chest, making him want to punch something, his fingers itching for his lightsaber. The urge to find Obi-Wan and put some kind of brand on him--another one-- became maddeningly hard to resist the more Anakin thought about it. He imagined sinking his teeth into Obi-Wan's pale, freckled neck again and leaving a bright, red mark that would make everyone see who his Master belonged to. The thought made him shudder, his mouth going dry and his body getting worked up in an entirely inappropriate way.

Kriffing hell. What was wrong with him? He was in love with his angel. Why was he having these thoughts?

Anakin paced his cabin agitatedly, a deep furrow between his brows. It wasn't that he felt guilty. He didn't. He would never, ever consider being unfaithful to his beloved wife, but it was Obi-Wan. Surely Obi-Wan didn't count. Obi-Wan had been his Master long before he and Padme became anything. Padme was his sweet wife, Obi-Wan was his--his _home_ , the only one he'd had since leaving his mother.

Padme's luxurious apartment hadn't managed to become a home in the year and a half since they got married. That might change in the future, but for now Anakin was on missions all the time, returning to Coruscant so rarely that calling it home would have been ridiculous. Home was the narrow bedroll he and Obi-Wan shared on some godforsaken planet; home was their adjoined quarters on the _Negotiator_ ; home was their apartment back in the Temple. Home wasn't a place; it had never been.

For Anakin, home had always been a person he loved. As a child, he hadn't owned anything, so his mother had been his only home. After becoming a Jedi padawan, Anakin had felt lost and homesick for a long time, but little by little, the young Knight with kind, soft eyes who patiently put up with all his tantrums became the center of his world. It hadn't happened overnight, but one day, Anakin looked at his ridiculously young Master and thought, _Mine_.

Obi-Wan was his. Obi-Wan would always be his. No one would take him away from him. He wouldn't allow it. He had already lost his mother. He wouldn't lose Obi-Wan too.

Setting his jaw, Anakin paced, his thoughts racing. He needed to stay in the Order, to remain close to his Master--that much was clear. He would go kriffing mad if he was forced to stay on Coruscant in Padme's fancy apartment while Obi-Wan went to the frontlines, where he would surely die without Anakin to get him out of trouble. Anakin needed to stay a Jedi, no matter what.

But how?

He couldn't ask his Master to lie to the Council about his marriage to Padme; that was out of the question. Beyond that, he wasn't sure what to do. The blasted Code was clear on the subject of marriage: a Jedi Knight couldn't get married.

A Jedi Knight.

Anakin's heart sped up. He hadn't been a Jedi Knight yet when he married Padme. He could appeal to the Council, pretend that he had been young and stupid and didn't know what he was doing. That was a lie, of course. Anakin didn't regret marrying his angel at all, but the Council didn't have to know that. As long as he convinced them that he felt remorse and was absolutely, definitely not attached to Padme now, they should allow him to stay a Jedi. Padme would be incredibly offended if she ever found out what bantha shit Anakin had fed the Council, but what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her. As long as he was allowed to be a Jedi and remain beside his Master, Anakin found he didn't care about the means to achieve that.

 _But what if they make you divorce Padme?_ said his inner voice that sounded suspiciously like the Chancellor. _The Jedi Council are too overbearing and high-handed to allow you to keep your marriage, no matter what you tell them, my boy._

Frowning, Anakin stopped pacing. According to Ben, Palpatine was the Sith Lord they'd been looking for. It still seemed utterly unbelievable, but he should probably stop listening to what the Chancellor said--or would say to him in this situation. In fact, if what Ben had said was true, it meant the Chancellor had been manipulating him all these years, pretending to be his friend and encouraging his resentment toward the Council.

The thought made him nauseous. Shaking it off, Anakin resumed pacing. The Chancellor would be dealt with later. One problem at a time.

But what would he do if the Council really demanded him to divorce Padme? It was more likely than not. The Council _was_ a bunch of overbearing, arrogant jerks. They were allergic to happiness and love. They would never let him keep his angel.

Releasing his anger into the Force--Obi-Wan would be so proud--Anakin forced himself to think about it rationally. Contrary to the Council's opinion, he _was_ capable of thinking rationally when the situation called for it.

So he did.

These were the facts:

He loved Padme. She was his beloved angel, the Queen of his heart. Of course he didn't want to divorce her. But.

Losing Obi-Wan _wasn't_ an option. So what did that leave him with?

Anakin paced.

He could... he could talk to Padme and tell her about the Council's demands. Being her supportive, amazing self, Padme would likely understand his dilemma and agree to a divorce--pretend-divorce. It wouldn't be a real divorce, of course. As soon as the Council got off his back, they would marry again, and the Council would be none the wiser.

Anakin smiled, relieved that he had found a solution.

His good mood evaporated when he felt a familiar Force signature approaching the cabin.

Vader.

Laying a hand on his lightsaber, Anakin leaned against his desk and waited.

Vader didn't knock.

He entered the cabin and closed the door.

"What do you want?" Anakin said. He wasn't in the mood for Vader's taunts and sneers.

Vader studied the cabin with something like wistfulness. "I liked this one," he murmured to himself.

"What do you want?" Anakin said again, not liking being reminded that Vader had been him in the past. He'd slept in this cabin, he'd piloted this ship. It was bizarre.

"You should fuck your Kenobi," Vader said conversationally.

If Vader expected Anakin to blush and stammer a denial, he was in for disappointment.

"I'm married," Anakin said curtly.

Vader sneered. "Trust me, Kenobi is a far superior fuck to Amidala."

Anakin bristled. He didn't like being reminded that this Sith version of him had had sex not only with his wife but with his Master too.

"Interesting," Vader said, studying him with a cocked head. "You aren't even denying wanting him. I don't remember Skywalker being so in touch with his desires at your age. He was in deep denial. Why aren't you?"

"Maybe because I'm not you?" Anakin said, not without relish.

Vader snorted, his golden eyes flashing with something like amusement. "We both know you're a lot closer to being me than your dear Master imagines. As far as I can tell, our lives have been identical until this point. So that means our appearance here forced you to consider things you previously suppressed. But you can't suppress them anymore."

"Go to karking hell. I love Padme."

Vader smiled. "Oh, I remember Skywalker's 'love' for her. Personally, looking back, I would call it puppy love mixed with idolization. Want to know a secret? Skywalker was the one who killed her."

Anakin stared at him. "You're lying. I would never--"

"Why would I lie?" The Sith shrugged. "You may believe whatever you wish to believe, Jedi. My point is, Amidala was a pretty doll that Skywalker was so fixated on because she unconditionally adored him and supported him in situations Obi-Wan wouldn't. The moment she said that she wouldn't do it anymore, Skywalker went mad with rage and Force-choked her, a heavily pregnant woman." He smirked at Anakin's horrified expression. "What a tender, deep love, isn't it?"

"You're lying," Anakin breathed out, but he could sense that Vader was telling the truth, at least his twisted version of it.

Vader chuckled. "You know I'm not. So if you want a piece of advice: save yourself from all that unnecessary drama and fuck your dear Master instead. Not that Kenobi is drama-free, but at least you'd get to stick your cock into his mouth if he's boring you with a lecture on the Jedi Code. We both know you've fantasized about it since you were twelve."

His face hot, Anakin gritted out, "Go kark yourself. You know nothing."

The Sith's golden eyes were laughing. "I may not be Skywalker, but I have all his memories. I remember how it was: raging hormones, an annoying--and annoyingly pretty--Master you wanted to shut up with your cock. You wanked yourself raw thinking about ramming your cock into his throat, so deep that he wouldn't be able to lecture you for days."

"It was a phase," Anakin bit out. "I got over it ages ago. I'm in love with Padme and all I feel for my Master is respect."

"Then I guess you wouldn't mind it if I take your Kenobi with me when I leave--in case I can't save mine--"

Later, Anakin wouldn't remember how it happened. All he would remember was _rage_ , rage a lot like one that he'd felt when he slaughtered the Tuskens. Anakin came back to his senses only when he saw Vader choking and struggling to breathe on the floor.

Startled, he released the Force-grip on Vader's throat and stepped back, breathing as raggedly as Vader, his eyes wide.

Vader looked up at him and _laughed_. "Well, well, well. What a good little Jedi you are, Skywalker. A simple No would have sufficed."

"You did it on purpose," Anakin growled, trying to rein in his temper and failing. _There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony._

The Jedi Code had never seemed more like a joke.

Vader shrugged, getting to his feet. "I could have stopped you, of course. You're no match for me. I was curious how far you would take it."

Anakin's hand curled into a fist. The urge to plant it in Vader's face was becoming irresistible.

Vader headed for the door.

However, he stopped with his hand on the handle. "If you don't want me to take your Kenobi, you _will_ get me that holocron."

Anakin laughed. "Do you think I'm an idiot? You don't want my Obi-Wan. You want to save _yours_. Because it wouldn't be the same. One's loved ones aren't so easily replaceable."

Vader's knuckles became white on the handle. "Do not presume to know what I feel. Kenobi is my pet, nothing more. I'm the Emperor of the Galactic Empire. I'm not attached to that Jedi."

Anakin snorted. "And here I thought only the Jedi were so unhealthily repressed. You make a better Jedi than I do."

Vader's anger filled the room like a smouldering fire. Anakin laid his hand on his lightsaber, eyeing his counterpart's tense back warily.

But Vader opened the door and left, taking his anger with him.

Anakin breathed out.

He sat on his bed and determinedly _didn't_ think about everything Vader had told him.

Vader was just messing with his head. Anakin loved his angel. He wasn't using her as a source of unconditional acceptance and affection. He would never, ever hurt her.

Vader was karking wrong. And it would be ridiculous to take relationship advice from such an emotionally stunted person, someone who didn't even know what was going on in his own head--someone so deep in denial about it that it was almost sad.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vader's POV.
> 
> Warning: explicit sexual content, Vader being a bastard.

* * *

* * *

He left Skywalker's cabin so enraged it was a struggle not to destroy everything in the vicinity. He breathed deeply, trying to rein in his temper and largely failing.

"You should stop antagonizing them, Darth."

Vader glared at the bane of his existence before stalking forward. He loomed menacingly over his former Master's seated form, getting irritated even more as he was met with the calm gaze of those damned gray-blue eyes.

"This is all your fault," he bit off, fisting Kenobi's hair in his hand and yanking him to his feet.

Kenobi held his gaze impassively, looking so very unbothered that Vader wanted to shake him. He did, roughly, and then scowled when he sensed the fragility of the man's flesh.

Karking hell! He hated that he couldn't even abuse Kenobi without risking destroying his weakened body.

"My fault?" Kenobi said. "As I recall, it wasn't my idea to travel dimensions for such a senseless reason, Darth."

Vader glowered at him, failing to suppress a flash of irritation at the address. He didn't like it when Kenobi called him that, hadn't gotten used to it in the past three and a half years. But Kenobi refused to call him by his true name, Vader. "Darth" was just irritating. Though no more irritating than the times _another_ name slipped out of Kenobi's mouth, a name Kenobi couldn't seem to stop calling him when he came on Vader's cock.

 _Anakin_.

It never failed to make Vader furious.

"I'm Lord Vader of the Sith," he gritted out. "I'm here simply because I want to prove than I can defeat even death." It enraged him that he sounded defensive. It was all Skywalker's fault.

Kenobi had the nerve to look bored.

Growling, Vader slammed his mouth against the infuriating Jedi's and licked hungrily into it. Force, he hated this man, hated his addictive mouth and his subborn Jedi ways. Kenobi brought out the absolute worst in him--the part of him that kept Kenobi alive against his better judgement, the part of him that chose to kill Sidious when his Master had ordered him to kill Kenobi.

He still didn't know why he'd done it. While he had planned to eventually kill his Sith Master, it hadn't been the right time. He still had a lot to learn from his Master, but Kenobi had forced his hand.

Kenobi had just stood there, unarmed and tortured, but looking calm and fearless in the face of certain death, no doubt ready to 'become part of the Force.' It had made Vader _furious_. So he had killed Sidious and kept Kenobi alive--just to spite him. And he was going to fix Kenobi's rapidly weakening body, also just to spite him. _No one_ would take away something of Vader's, even death itself.

He kissed Kenobi harder, unable to kiss him deep enough, his frustration growing. Vader growled and ripped the fabric of Kenobi's tunic.

"Don't," Kenobi panted out, trying to stop Vader from removing the rest of his clothes. "They could return any moment."

 _I don't care. I want you now, and I'll have you_.

"They won't," Vader said, sucking on Kenobi's pale neck and leaving bright, red marks. "The other Kenobi is meditating in the cockpit. Skywalker is brooding in his cabin. Not that it matters. I'd fuck you even if they were here, and you'd let me, because you're mine, Master."

Kenobi shivered against him, still resisting weakly, but he didn't have the strength to push him away, not in his fragile state. When Vader parted his tunics, he found Kenobi already half-hard. It always brought him vicious satisfaction: the knowledge that Kenobi wanted him, no matter what.

Vader wrapped his flesh hand around Kenobi's cock and pumped it a few times to bring him to full hardness. Kenobi made a small sound, his eyes becoming unfocused. There was self-loathing in those eyes, but that couldn't be helped. The only time Kenobi fully let go of his Jedi morals was when he was stuffed full of Vader's cock.

That could be arranged.

Vader pushed Kenobi toward the table and put him onto it, shoving his hips between Kenobi's thighs. He stared greedily at the man beneath him. He was a sight to behold: a flushed face, lips bitten red, red marks on his pale neck, a hard, red cock standing proud between his bare thighs.

"Look at you, Obi-Wan," Vader said, shaping the Force into the shape of a finger and pushing it into Kenobi. He started moving it, watching Kenobi's eyes glaze over with pleasure. "What would the Council say if they saw you now? The Great Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, reduced to being my whore and loving it. Oh, right: they can't see you; they are dead."

Kenobi's gaze focused on him with some difficulty as Vader prepped him with the Force for his cock. "You're delusional if you think I love this, Darth."

Vader laughed. "Don't you? Your erection could have fooled me." He pressed his Force fingers into the Jedi's prostate and Kenobi moaned brokenly, his eyes becoming unfocused again.

Vader couldn't wait anymore. Jerking his own fly open, he pulled a packet of lube out of his pocket and liberally coated his cock with lube. It _wasn't_ for Kenobi's benefit. It was the matter of his own comfort: fucking Kenobi dry simply wasn't a pleasant experience for Vader.

He pushed himself inside Kenobi in one hard, long thrust. Kenobi made a whimpering sound, his body tensing but his erection still hard against Vader's stomach. "You love it," Vader snarled, watching greedily as Kenobi's face went slack with pleasure. "You love having my cock in you. You can deny it all you want, but your body doesn't lie."

Kenobi squeezed his eyes shut and didn't say anything.

Chucking, Vader started moving, thrusting hard into the sweet, sweet tightness. Force, nothing felt better than fucking his former Master, feeling their bodies and Force signatures merge in mutual pleasure. Kenobi was panting under him, clearly trying to be still and quiet, to a varying degree of success. Moans still slipped out of his mouth as Vader hit his prostate just right. Before long, Kenobi couldn't seem to keep himself from moving, meeting Vader's each thrust like the repressed slut he was.

"I wonder if you were always such a slut for cock," Vader said through his gritted teeth as he fucked him hard. "Did you just pretend to be a good little Jedi during the day and then go get fucked by some random men?"

The thought enraged him, and Vader bit Kenobi's shoulder, pulling him tighter to himself and slamming harder into him, again and again. "Mine, mine, _mine_ \--"

Kenobi let out a cry and came, shaking in his arms and whispering, "Anakin."

The name hit Vader like a punch to the gut and he growled, pounding into Kenobi a few more times before spilling deep inside him.

He shoved Kenobi away and stepped back, furious and unsettled, as usual. He would suspect Kenobi of calling him by _that_ name on purpose, to unsettle him, if he couldn't sense that Kenobi was as disquieted by that name.

"Get dressed," he gritted out, without looking at Kenobi. "You look like a cheap whore."

Unable to be around Kenobi anymore, he closed his fly and headed toward the bridge--the cockpit, really, so small it was.

The other Kenobi--the younger one, with eyes that didn't hold so much pain--was sitting in the pilot's seat, meditating. His eyes snapped open the moment Vader entered the bridge.

"Did the Council contact you?" Vader bit off.

"Not yet," the Jedi said, his face slowly turning red. He could no doubt smell the scent of sex still lingering on Vader, and was probably scandalized.

Vader sneered and turned to leave when he was stopped by a quiet,

"Anakin."

He went still, his hand clenching into a fist. "That is not my name."

"Why do you pretend that Anakin is dead?" Kenobi said softly. "If it were true, my counterpart wouldn't be alive."

"I suggest you stop talking if you have any sense of self-preservation, Jedi," Vader bit out.

"Is it just easier to pretend that you are a completely different person so that you don't have to deal with everything you've done?"

Vader glared at the door. "Let me ask you a question, too. How long have you been perving on your padawan, Kenobi? Since he was sixteen? Fifteen? You're a disgusting, pathetic old man no one wants. No one ever chooses you. Your master didn't, and neither did your padawan. If Skywalker had a better master, someone who actually knew what they were doing, he wouldn't have Fallen."

Kenobi didn't say anything. He didn't need to. Vader could feel his anguish and shame as if it were his own.

He left the cockpit, ignoring the uneasy feeling in his gut. He was perhaps unnecessarily cruel, but the Jedi karking _deserved_ it. How dare he to imply that--

He nearly collided with Skywalker.

"What did you do to my Master?" Skywalker growled, shoving at him.

Vader shrugged. "I told him the truth."

With the last withering look at Vader, Skywalker strode into the cockpit and shut the door.

Vader paused, intrigued despite himself. He couldn't remember his-- _Skywalker's_ bond to his Jedi Master ever being strong enough to sense Kenobi's emotions when they were a ship apart. Kenobi had always had impeccable shields, blocking their master-padawan bond most of the time. After Skywalker married Amidala, the need for secrecy had forced Skywalker to block the bond, too. As a result, the bond they'd shared for years became nearly non-existent by the time Skywalker Fell, which was probably one of the main reasons it happened at all.

It was rather interesting that the bond between this Kenobi and Skywalker was so strong, and, for the first time, Vader questioned the inevitability of every Anakin Skywalker falling to the Dark side.

The thought made him angry, for reasons he couldn't explain even to himself.

And then, to Vader's further annoyance, Kenobi's anguish turned into the feelings of gentle contentment and love as his Force signature merged with Skywalker's.

His stomach twisting into a knot, Vader walked away.


	7. Chapter 7

* * *

 

* * *

Rationally, Obi-Wan knew Vader was just lashing out, trying to hurt him back. As an experienced negotiator, he was well familiar with such a defensive mechanism. But knowing something _rationally_ didn't change anything. Vader's words still hurt. Hearing his inner doubts voiced by someone wearing Anakin's face--by an _Anakin_ from a different world--was still beyond painful.

Yes, Vader had been aiming to hurt him, but that didn't necessarily mean that he was lying. Was he not correct, after all? Obi-Wan had been little more than a padawan himself when he took Anakin as his padawan. Obi-Wan had been inexperienced at best and incompetent at worst. He'd had no idea what do with a stubborn padawan who really was too old to learn to be a Jedi. A more experienced and wiser Jedi master would have done a far better job with Anakin; there was little doubt about it. If the bright-eyed, kind boy Obi-Wan had taken as a padawan had become a Sith Lord who had committed countless crimes, it was undoubtedly Obi-Wan's failure as a teacher, no one else's.

Had he been too indulgent? Too strict? Too affectionate? Too aloof? Obi-Wan didn't know. He could never be sure about such things when it came to Anakin.

When Anakin had been younger, he couldn't help but dote on him, immensely proud of his accomplishments, but as Anakin had grown into a young man, Obi-Wan had tried to distance himself a little, aware how inappropriate his attachment to his padawan had become. It hadn't been a sudden shift. He hadn't even noticed that the adorable boy he once knew became a handsome, striking man until Obi-Wan caught himself staring at Anakin practicing forms--staring in a way no master should look at his seventeen-year-old padawan.

The realization that he was attracted to Anakin had been...difficult to accept. Releasing his feelings into the Force hadn't helped--they came back whenever he saw Anakin again. Countless hours spent in meditation hadn't helped, either. Force remained frustratingly silent on the matter, the future vague and uncertain. Obi-Wan had even considered requesting for Anakin to be transferred to another master, but he knew that Anakin wouldn't understand it and would be immensely hurt by such a request. So Obi-Wan had done nothing and simply tried to suppress the unwanted desires, utterly disgusted with himself.

Vader had called him a pervert and he was right. Obi-Wan was supposed to be a brother/mentor figure to Anakin; he wasn't supposed to notice the width of Anakin's shoulders, the firmness of his jaw, or the strength of his arms. He wasn't supposed to notice the way the light caught in Anakin's golden-brown curls or how utterly magnificent he looked when he handled a lightsaber.

It was unseemly. He really was a disgusting, pathetic older man lusting after his former padawan--after a taken, _married_ man.

"Whatever he told you, it was a lie," Anakin said, striding into the cockpit.

Obi-Wan hastily erected his shields--or tried to. They were a mess, the little serenity that his meditation had brought to him gone after Vader's visit.

"He didn't tell me anything I didn't know," Obi-Wan said, attempting to block their bond. It was appalling that he'd let Anakin feel his distress from so far away; it spoke volumes about how disturbingly strong their bond had become.

"That's Bantha fodder and you know it," Anakin said, walking closer and kneeling in front of Obi-Wan's seat so that they were eye to eye. " _What_ did he say, Master? You're upset."

It was incredibly hard to focus on anything when Anakin was this close to him. It became particularly hard when Anakin's Force signature wrapped tightly around his, exuding fierce protectiveness, affection, and another emotion that Obi-Wan was hesitant to name but which did wonders to soothe the pain Vader's words had caused. Vader might be an Anakin, but this was _his_ Anakin, and his Anakin didn't hate him, didn't think he was a failure.

 _He will still loathe you if he ever finds out about your perverse desires for him_ , a voice said that the back of Obi-Wan's mind.

Obi-Wan swallowed. "He told me that if he had a better master, someone who actually knew what they were doing, he wouldn't have Fallen."

Anakin's jaw clenched, anger rolling off him in waves. "I'll karking kill him! It's a lie, Master."

Obi-Wan shook his head with a sad smile. "I know you think I was a good master to you, but the evidence to the contrary is right in front of us, Anakin."

Anakin scoffed. "If he--I--was stupid enough to Fall, it doesn't say anything about your teaching ability, Obi-Wan. You can't fix souls, Master, and mine is... not very good." He smiled. "Don't look at me that way. You know I'm right. I've never been that good a person. I'm pretty selfish and arrogant and--"

"That is not true--"

"No, listen," Anakin said, taking Obi-Wan's hand and squeezing it as he held his gaze intently. He smiled ruefully. "I was a bit of a terror as a kid and you deserve a kriffing medal for putting up with me for years." He grimaced. "And I know I told you a few times that I wished Master Qui-Gon were my master instead of you, but you do know that I was just angry and wanted to make you angry too, right?"

Obi-Wan averted his gaze. "I thought that might be the case, but..."

"I never meant it!" Anakin said with a scoff. "I was just a stupid, entitled kid who badly wanted your attention. I never really wanted another master." Anakin smirked. "All other padawans my age were karking jealous of me for having the youngest, kindest master in the Temple. When we were teenagers, you totally were the unanimous MILF."

Obi-Wan choked. "What?"

Anakin grinned. "Master I'd Love to Fuck."

"I know what that term means, Anakin," Obi-Wan said with as much dignity as he could muster. "I was a padawan once, too. Nevertheless, the fact that I was considered...that, doesn't mean I was a good master for you."

Anakin huffed. "Why are you even listening to anything Vader says? He's the most emotionally repressed person I've ever met, and I know Mace Windu."

"Anakin," Obi-Wan rebuked with a sigh. "And Vader didn't seem emotionally repressed to me. He was rather free with his emotions."

"His anger, maybe, but Force forbid he admits having anything remotely resembling an attachment." Anakin laughed humorlessly. "Who would have thought I'd finally master the Jedi emotional repression if I became a Sith."

Obi-Wan smiled faintly, watching Anakin play with his fingers absent-mindedly, his longer, tanned fingers a striking contrast against Obi-Wan's pale ones. "You think he's attached to my counterpart?"

Anakin gave a snort. "I'll eat my hat if he isn't."

"You don't have a hat, Anakin."

"I can get one, just for this purpose."

They smiled at each other before Anakin's face became serious again. "I promise you, Master, I'll never betray you teachings. I'll never become a Sith."

Obi-Wan almost smiled. Anakin's stubbornness was rather endearing, it had always been. "You cannot give such a promise, Anakin," he said quietly. "Vader's intentions were good in the beginning, too. He wanted to save his wife. What if it happens again? What if you have the choice between saving Senator Amidala and falling to the Dark side? What would you choose?"

Anakin dropped his gaze. "I'll save her without falling to the Dark side," he said, frowning.

This time Obi-Wan couldn't stop a smile. Anakin never changed. "Vader probably thought the same, too, until it was already too late."

Anakin shook his head, squeezing Obi-Wan's fingers. They were intertwined with Anakin's, Obi-Wan realized with surprise, looking down at their joined hands. The sight made him feel--

Cutting that train of thought off, Obi-Wan focused back on Anakin's face.

"Trust me," Anakin said, looking at him intently. "I can see how much Vader's existence hurts you, Master. I promise I'll never become him." He brought their hands to his mouth and kissed Obi-Wan's knuckles lightly, nuzzling into his hand. "Padme is my wife and I adore her, but I'll never, ever hurt you. I don't know what Palpatine did to convince Vader that his Obi-Wan is his enemy, but in this life, it has not happened yet and it will never happen. I promise. You're the most important person in my life." He looked Obi-Wan in the eye. "I love Padme very much, but you're my deepest attachment, Master."

Obi-Wan licked his dry lips, his heart swelling with affection and very un-Jedi-like elation. He had to tell himself that Anakin's affection for him was like that to a brother, or perhaps a father.

But it was harder to convince himself of that when Anakin was kissing his fingers reverently, the touch of his mouth sending tremors of desire through Obi-Wan's body.

When Anakin kissed the sensitive skin of his wrist, Obi-Wan was, once again, incredibly grateful for the loose fit of Jedi robes.

Clearing his throat, Obi-Wan took his hand away and curled it in his lap. "I will not lecture you on the dangers of attachment, as you are unlikely to be a Jedi for much longer," he said, struggling to keep his voice even. "But I hope...I hope that when you leave the Order, you can still make time for me when we are both on Coruscant." A clean, complete break would have certainly been wiser, but unfortunately Obi-Wan wasn't strong enough for it. A life without Anakin in it seemed...daunting. He would be...content if he could see Anakin from time to time at least.

Anakin shook his head, making Obi-Wan's stomach drop for a moment.

"No," he said, smiling widely. "You won't get rid of me so easily, Master. I'm not leaving the Order."

"Anakin--"

"The Council won't make me leave. I have a plan."

Obi-Wan smiled wryly. "A plan? I'm already scared, Padawan."

Clutching at his chest with a mock-wounded expression, Anakin grinned. "You'll see, Master. I've got it, don't worry. They won't take you away from me."

Obi-Wan gave him a pinched look. "Anakin, please tell me you want to stay in the Order because you actually want to be a Jedi rather than because you want to stay around your old master."

Anakin looked suspiciously evasive.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan chided.

Anakin sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You know I disagree with many things the Order insists on. The Council is a bunch of high-handed hypocrites. I want to be on the Council so I can change the Order for the better. So yes, I still want to be a Jedi, Obi-Wan."

"I sense a but somewhere," Obi-Wan said.

"Well, if I'm honest..." Anakin's jaw worked before he met Obi-Wan's gaze again. "You're the main thing still keeping me in the Order, Master. Sometimes the Council pisses me off so much I'm this close to quitting, but then I think of you and stay. They already took away my mother. They took away my ability to be open about my love for my wife. I won't let them take you away, too."

"This must be Palpatine's influence," Obi-Wan said, more than a little disturbed. "Anakin, don't you realize how much that man has influenced your opinion on the Council? He's a Sith."

Anakin frowned deeply. "Maybe, but you must agree that the Jedi have forgotten their ways. Not to mention that the policy about attachment is ridiculous. I want to be a Jedi, but I don't want to pretend I'm not attached to Padme or you. I am. That's what makes us such a good team, you and me--because we care about each other." He bit his lip, flushing a little. "At least I assume that you care about me, too, Master."

The fact that Anakin wasn't certain of it made Obi-Wan's heart clench in fear as he realized how close Palpatine had come to poisoning Anakin's soul with his lies and manipulations. He dreaded thinking about what would have happened if it wasn't for their counterparts' appearance in this timeline. Now Obi-Wan could see how Palpatine might have manipulated Vader to turn him against the Order--and felt a wave of pity and sympathy for the other Anakin. Because Vader _was_ Anakin, one who had been horribly misled and manipulated into Falling by someone who he had thought of as a friend. Vader was what his Anakin would have become in a few years if their counterparts' appearance in this timeline hadn't been a wake-up call for them.

It was obvious now that Palatine had made Anakin doubt the Order, doubt _Obi-Wan's_ loyalty to him, the extent of his caring for Anakin. His loyal padawan would have never turned against him otherwise.

"Of course I care for you, dear one," Obi-Wan said, regret making his chest tight. "You are... You are my deepest attachment, as well." He forced the words out of his throat, the gravity of those forbidden words weighing on his tongue, but it was absolutely worth it when Anakin grinned widely, his blue eyes very bright and the bond between them pulsing with Anakin's shock and elation.

Anakin darted forward and, cradling Obi-Wan's face, pressed their foreheads together. "Thank you, Master. Thank you for telling me. I won't let you down, I promise." Anakin rubbed their noses together, their breaths mixing. "I won't let anyone separate us," he said fiercely. "You'll always be mine, Master." He kissed the corner of Obi-Wan's lips, tearing a breathless sound from Obi-Wan's mouth. Anakin kissed the other corner. "Master, I--"

The chime of the comlink was like a bucket of cold water.

Obi-Wan sprang away from Anakin, his face uncomfortably warm. He had to take a few deep breaths to calm his ragged breathing and stop the tremor of his hands before he reached for his comlink.

It must be the Council. He must act calm, as if nothing had happened.

Because _nothing_ had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to the amazing [oskalk ](https://oskalk.tumblr.com/post/184996590654/anakin-is-kneeling-thats-why-he-is-shorter-than)  
> and  
> [ orientalld ](https://orientalld.tumblr.com/post/190231796702/when-abyss-stares-back-at-you-padawans) who have created beautiful pieces of artwork inspired by this story. Check them out!


	8. Chapter 8

* * *

Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi nursed his cup of tea, ignoring the tension in the room. Living with Vader and his constant, often violent, mood swings had taught him the value of picking his battles. Sometimes it was wiser to keep silent and just observe.

Taking a sip of his tea, Ben wrinkled his nose slightly. He was somewhat ashamed to admit that he'd gotten rather used to the rare Xerokian brand of tea he had at the Imperial palace. Vader didn't drink tea, but the Sith liked all demonstrations of his power, so of course the palace had only the best tea his Empire produced. Granted, Ahsoka had once claimed that Vader had the tea delivered for Ben's sake, but Ben had snorted and told her not to repeat such foolishness in Vader's presence.

The taste of this tea couldn't compare, of course, but it brought back good memories. Ben smiled faintly--he used to drink this tea all the time when he traveled on Anakin's ship. It felt like it was in another life.

Perhaps it was, for he wasn't the same man anymore and Anakin was long dead.

"I will not agree to it," Vader said. "Do you take me for an idiot?"

Ben looked at his furious face before shifting his gaze to the two Jedi. Looking at Anakin was...painful, so he focused his gaze on his younger self.

Obi-Wan crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm afraid it isn't negotiable," he said, looking at Vader with a strange expression. He seemed... uncomfortable?

At times like this, Ben had never missed the Force more. He hadn't realized how much he used to rely on the Force for reading people until the ability was taken away from him. Granted, in this case, he had the advantage of knowing Obi-Wan almost as well as he knew himself. Almost, because Ben had trouble connecting to his younger self who hadn't yet experienced the immense loss, grief, and pain that forever tainted Ben's soul. This version of him was still untainted.

 _Lucky_.

Ben pushed the bitter thought to the back of his mind. He was aware that it probably wasn't healthy, but he hadn't quite mastered dealing with his emotions when he couldn't release them into the Force.

"The Council will give you what you want if you agree to their only condition," the other Obi-Wan said, looking at Vader. "I think it is rather fair."

Vader sneered. "Fair? What is fair about putting a Force-blocking collar on me? You expect me to go into the Jedi Temple unarmed and defenceless?"

Ben raised his eyebrows at the irony.

Vader didn't miss it, of course, because he never missed anything when it came to Ben. Shooting Ben a venomous look, he turned back to the Jedi. "It's a trap."

"It isn't a trap," Anakin bit off, and Ben looked at him reluctantly. Unlike his former master, Anakin was much easier to read, his blue eyes full of hatred and anger as he glared at Vader. "You should be kriffing grateful that they said yes. Did you expect the Jedi to let an armed Sith Lord into the Temple full of innocent younglings?"

Ben flinched.

"Not to mention that the collar would prevent Sidious from detecting you," Obi-Wan said, laying a calming hand on Anakin's shoulder. The angry tension bled out of Anakin's body. Anakin looked at his master and his expression softened.

Ben felt a jolt of pain. He remembered a time his Anakin looked at him with such loyalty too, but it felt like it was decades ago. After the Rako Hardeen incident, his relationship with Anakin hadn't been the same. His former padawan had never quite forgiven him the deception, the pain Ben had caused him by letting him think him dead. They had been able to somewhat recover their friendship, but the absolute trust and loyalty that he saw now in Anakin's eyes when he looked at Ben's younger self--it was gone.

Looking back, Ben could see that it was the breaking point, the ultimate mistake that eventually let Palpatine corrupt Anakin. Had Ben been firmer with the Council and refused to participate in the Rako Hardeen mission, Anakin would have trusted him with his fears--and likely wouldn't have Fallen. So many lives were lost because of Ben's mistake.

But it was no use thinking of what ifs now.

_What is, is._

Ben looked away from Anakin to Vader. The Sith's yellow eyes were narrowed in distrust, but Ben knew him well enough to know that he was actually considering it.

"Fine," Vader said at last. "But I'm keeping my lightsaber."

Anakin scoffed, throwing a dirty look at Vader's lightsaber. It wasn't the one that was attached to Anakin's belt. Ben actually wasn't sure what Vader had done to Anakin's old lightsaber--it had still been in Vader's possession after Mustafar--but at some point between Mustafar and Sidious's murder, Vader had made another 'saber for himself, with a blood red crystal.

Ben wondered what it said about him that he was already used to Vader's red lightsaber so much that seeing Anakin's old one again threw him off balance.

Everything about this trip threw him off balance, to be fair.

Perhaps he was just getting old.

"Very well," his younger self said. "I'll set the course to Coruscant." He disappeared into the cockpit.

Anakin didn't go with him. He walked to Vader until they were face to face and glared balefully at him. His tone, however, was deceptively calm as he said, "If you say anything hurtful to my Master--if you try to hurt him again, I will kill you. Understood?"

Vader's yellow eyes were just as hateful. "You think you can threaten _me_? You're nothing compared to me, Jedi."

Ben frowned, disturbed by the hatred between them. It was so tangible that he could feel it even without the Force. He could somewhat understand why Anakin would hate Vader: he was the personification of everything Anakin didn't want to become; not to mention that Vader was very rude to their counterparts. But Ben didn't quite understand why Vader would hate Anakin. He had expected that Vader would express some contempt for Anakin, not _hate_ him.

Ben coughed slightly and put on a neutral face as the Jedi and the Sith turned to him as one. The similarity between them would be humorous if it weren't so disturbing.

"There's no need for violence," Ben said mildly, sipping his tea. "You should both save your energy for Sidious. By the way, I'm sure my younger self would appreciate it if you buy him a better brand of tea, Anakin."

Anakin looked a little embarrassed. Vader looked... smug?

Ben frowned, for the first time wondering could Ahsoka be right about the tea after all.

He gave Vader a longer look, eyeing him thoughtfully. He'd always dismissed Ahsoka's claims that Anakin was still alive in Vader, deep down.

_The boy you trained, gone he is. Consumed by Darth Vader._

As much as it pained him, Obi-Wan agreed with Master Yoda's assessment that Anakin was gone. His padawan would have never slaughtered the younglings, would have never killed his brothers and sisters if Vader hadn't taken over him. It was all Vader's doing, not Anakin's. Ahsoka just smiled sadly and shook her head every time Ben told her that, so they didn't speak of it often. She had her opinion; he had his own. They both were rather stubborn, admittedly.

_If SkyGuy were really gone, Vader wouldn't treat you that way._

Ben disagreed with her.

It wasn't as though he was naive or blind. He was perfectly aware that he had _some_ measure of influence on Vader--as much as one might have an influence on a Sith Lord. Ben was the only person who could talk Vader down from doing something completely senseless and cruel. He was the only person who was allowed an unlimited access to Luke and Leia. He was the only person who could get away with being sarcastic with Vader and stay alive to tell the tale. Even Ahsoka had to watch her mouth around him.

But Ben had always thought it was because he was Vader's favorite toy, his trophy, proof of his victory over the Jedi; not because there was still something of Anakin in him that cared for his old master.

But...

But he had to admit that it was rather strange for a Sith Lord to get an incredibly rare, expensive brand of tea just to please his trophy.

"What?" Vader bit off. "Why are you staring at me that way, Kenobi?"

Ben stroked his beard thoughtfully. He needed... needed more proof before he even _entertained_ the possibility that Ahsoka might be right.

"I don't feel well," Ben said. "Would you mind if I go lie down in your cabin, Anakin?"

"Of course I don't," Anakin said, a frown of concern appearing on his face as he stepped toward Ben. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"You have your own Kenobi," Vader snapped, shoving Anakin aside and yanking Ben close. "This one is mine."

Ben shook his head slightly. Possessiveness didn't necessarily mean anything. The Sith were very possessive by nature. Vader was possessive of his--Anakin's--children, too, though not to such an extreme extent as he was possessive of Ben.

Granted, there was also the fact that Ben was the only person who shared Vader's bed. That had always been something that puzzled Ben a little. Vader could have the most beautiful people in the Empire if he so desired. He wouldn't even have to force people into his bed. As the Emperor, he was quite popular with his subjects, definitely far more popular than Palpatine had been in the short time he'd ruled. It was rather ironic that Anakin's popularity as Hero With No Fear helped Vader establish his Empire. His face was recognizable. Trustworthy. Oh, people of the Empire feared Vader, but very few truly hated him. When Ben had managed to speak to Bail Organa, Bail told him that there weren't even rebel cells, that people mostly accepted Vader as their Emperor.

 _Being young and handsome doesn't hurt him at all, Obi-Wan_ , Bail had said cynically. _Being a widower, with two adorable little children, doesn't, either. It makes a good sob story. People eat it up and ignore the atrocities he committed._

That was why it always surprised Ben that Vader chose a middle-aged, rapidly aging man as his only bedwarmer when he could have had the most gorgeous people in the Empire.

But if...if there was still a bit of Anakin in Vader, it made _slightly_ more sense. Anakin had always been monogamous. He hadn't believed in casual sex. And for all of Vader's cruelty, he never physically violated Ben. He made it enjoyable, always. Of course it also helped that Ben had been attracted to Anakin, and to Ben's shame, his body wasn't any less attracted to Vader. The flesh was weak. It betrayed Ben every day, but he'd learned to accept it.

What was much more difficult to accept was the _strength_ of his attraction to Vader.

Ben was beyond ashamed to admit that a part of him very much liked the unhealthy possessiveness of Vader's touches, the intensity of his gaze on him, the way he kissed him, hungry and domineering. It made his knees weak. Sometimes, Ben couldn't help but wonder if he would have wanted Anakin as badly. His soul ached for Anakin, missing him like a limb, and yet his flesh was drawn to Vader's darkness. It was the source of constant shame for him, making him feel like... like a _cheap whore_ , indeed.

It didn't matter. Anakin had never wanted him this way. And Anakin was gone. There was only Vader now.

Or was there?

"If you hope to use your whore again, you'll have to wait," Ben said flatly as Vader shoved him inside the cabin and closed the door. "I'm an old man I'm afraid." He raised his eyebrows at Vader. "Of course, you could use me anyway. A whore's enjoyment is irrelevant, after all."

Vader's jaw clenched. He glared at Ben. "Don't try my patience, Kenobi."

Ben chuckled. "Patience? I didn't know you possessed such a thing, Anakin."

Vader flinched, staring at him wide-eyed.

Ben swallowed the sudden tightness in his throat. He was aware that it was the first time since Mustafar that he'd consciously called Vader Anakin. Sometimes the name slipped out when he forgot himself during sex--when his mind got confused about who was giving him the pleasure--but those times didn't count. Ben had never actually thought he was with Anakin. It was little more than a fantasy of an old man, a fantasy he allowed himself to indulge in at the moments of weakness or when the pain of missing him was too much. Anakin had never wanted him that way. Vader did, no doubt for some twisted reason that had nothing do with desire or attachment.

"That name means nothing for me," Vader grated out, but...Ben could sense some uncertainty in his voice.

His stomach twisting into a knot, Ben sat down heavily on the bed as everything he'd believed in for the past three and a half years came crashing down on him.

Could that be true? Had Master Yoda been wrong? Could Anakin still be in there, somewhere?

He both desperately wanted to believe it and didn't want to. Hope was an emotion he hadn't felt in years. He'd thought his ability to hope had died with Anakin on Mustafar. In many ways, Obi-Wan Kenobi had died on that fiery planet too, died when his padawan's eyes turned a sickening yellow.

And he couldn't deny that a part of him _didn't_ want Vader to be Anakin. That way he could still have his fond memories of Anakin, untainted by Vader's crimes. It was easier.

 _Easier doesn't mean right, Obi-Wan_ , Qui-Gon's voice said at the back of his mind. _It's time to stop living in denial, Padawan. There's a reason you find it so hard to look at this dimension's Anakin. It isn't just because you miss him--it's because you see how much like Vader he already is._

Ben Kenobi squeezed his eyes shut, his chest hurting. Or perhaps it was his old, broken heart.

It was the truth he'd been in denial about, wasn't it?

Until their arrival at this dimension, he had been deluding himself into thinking that Anakin, his Anakin, had been a completely different person from Vader. But the more he looked at this young Anakin, one who was still a few years away from his Fall, the more he noticed the similarities between him and Vader. Oh, there were differences, too, of course, Anakin's best qualities like his loyalty and protectiveness still very much intact, but there were more similarities than Ben had expected: his dark anger, his hatred, his unhealthy possessiveness, his refusal to accept death.

It made Ben extremely uncomfortable. It had been easier to think of Vader as a completely separate person from Anakin, to pretend that it wasn't Anakin who had slaughtered the Jedi younglings, that it wasn't Anakin who'd Force-choked his own wife in his anger, but the more he looked at Anakin, the more obvious it was that there had been a bit of Vader in him years before his Fall.

It made him feel even more like a failure, for failing to notice the signs in time. He wondered if his younger counterpart already had. He doubted it. His affection for Anakin had made Ben blind until it was too late, and he doubted the other Obi-Wan was any better in this regard.

Attachment was indeed a dangerous thing, and the price of his blindness had been too high.

"What's wrong?" Vader demanded, gripping his shoulders. "Why are you crying?"

Was he?

Obi-Wan Kenobi opened his eyes and looked at him: at that painfully familiar, dear face and ugly yellow eyes that seemed to be searching him for some kind of injury.

His vision blurred.

"Stop crying," Vader bit off, his fingers digging into Obi-Wan's shoulders. "That's an order!"

A laugh, broken and hollow, tore out of Obi-Wan's chest. _Oh, Anakin._

Falling forward, he buried his face against Vader's chest and held him, breathing raggedly as silent tears soaked Vader's black tunic. He cried for the bright-eyed little boy who'd dreamed of being a Jedi. For the cocky, affectionate padawan who had been endearingly nervous before meeting his childhood crush. For the brave and powerful Jedi Knight who'd become such a good master for Ahsoka.

And for this cruel, confusing being in his arms.

"I failed you," Obi-Wan croaked out. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Anakin."

He felt Vader's body go absolutely rigid.

Obi-Wan half-expected to be shoved away in contempt, but Vader didn't move.

He stood stiff and silent, letting Obi-Wan cry into his chest.

 

*

 

Light-years away, Darth Sidious sat straighter, deep in thought. There was a disturbance in the Force coming from the faint not-quite-bond that he'd been feeling for a few days.

Interesting.


	9. Chapter 9

* * *

Anakin couldn't sleep.

He stared at the hyperspace from the pilot's seat, his mind alert despite being awake for more than twenty hours.

He had too much to think about. His head was a karking mess of emotions and thoughts.

Palpatine. Vader. Ben. Obi-Wan.

Thinking of Palpatine made him feel angry and betrayed. Thinking about Vader made him want to punch something. Thinking about Ben made him anxious. And thinking about Obi-Wan made him want to grin like a maniac.

_You are my deepest attachment, as well._

Force, he had never thought he would get to hear his Master actually admit having an attachment to him, much less tell him that Anakin was the _deepest_ one. It had been easily the happiest moment of Anakin's life, even better than being told that he would be a Jedi.

He was his Master's deepest attachment.

Deepest. Attachment.

Anakin grinned, feeling jittery with excitement and suddenly badly wanting to talk to someone about it. Padme. He could talk to his angel!

Anakin reached for his comlink and connected to a familiar frequency. He drummed his fingers on the armrest, waiting impatiently until Padme finally answered.

"Ani!" she said with a wide smile.

He smiled back, pleased by how happy she looked to see him. It never got old.

"You look tired," she said, peering at him. "But happy. Is there a particular reason for this?"

Anakin chuckled. His angel was so observant. She was so good at reading people, as good as Obi-Wan was. It was one of her best qualities, her kindness and dedication to her work being the other ones. Anakin had always thought that Padme would have made an excellent Jedi, a much better Jedi than him. She would have probably been almost as good a Jedi as Obi-Wan.

"Master told me that I'm his deepest attachment," Anakin replied, his smile widening.

Padme blinked before frowning slightly. She seemed puzzled. "I don't understand why that's surprising for you, Ani. You were Master Kenobi's first and only padawan. Of course you're the closest thing he has to family."

Anakin shook his head, a little annoyed that she didn't understand the significance. "You don't understand. Attachment is forbidden for Jedi, even between masters and padawans. So the fact that Master admitted that I'm his deepest attachment, it's--it's kriffing _huge_." He grinned. "I still can't believe he actually told me that. It was the happiest moment of my life."

Padme just stared at him blankly.

Anakin frowned, a little annoyed that she wasn't reacting as he'd expected.

"How's your mission?" Padme said, averting her gaze.

"It's fine," he said curtly, his mood soured. He didn't want to talk about his mission. He had wanted to share his happiness with his wife.

There was an awkward silence the reason for which he didn't really understand. It only made him more annoyed. At times like this, Anakin always felt like he was missing some social cue that was obvious to normal people, people who weren't born into slavery and raised by emotionally repressed Jedi. There was a reason he preferred droids to people: they actually made sense to him. Maybe he should ask his Master why Padme was reacting so strangely. Obi-Wan was so good at people, much better than him.

"When are you coming back?" she said, breaking the strained silence.

Anakin shrugged. Although they were just five hours away from Coruscant, he didn't know when he would be able to see Padme, considering everything. "I'll comm you," he said shortly, wondering whether he should warn her about Palpatine. In the end, he decided against it, figuring that she was safer that way. He had no idea if the channel was truly secure.

She nodded with a sad little smile. "Tell my regards to Master Kenobi."

"I will when he wakes up." He yawned. "Kark, I'm beat. I'm going to bed too." He paused as something occurred to him. His cabin was currently occupied.

Anakin scowled, trying not to think about what Vader and Ben might be doing right now in his bed. They hadn't left his cabin in hours and he doubted they were _meditating_ together.

"Is something wrong, Ani?"

Anakin shook his head. "Just remembered that my cabin is currently occupied by our guests. It doesn't matter. I'll sleep with Obi-Wan." It wasn't a big deal. They shared a bed countless times, though Anakin was loath to wake him up. His Master needed rest. Anakin could feel Obi-Wan's mental exhaustion through their bond as if it were his own. The day had been hard on his Master. It wasn't every day such a perfect Jedi like Obi-Wan admitted that he had a _deepest attachment_.

All right, he might be obsessing about it. A little.

Grinning, Anakin returned his gaze to Padme. His smile dropped when he saw that she looked less than pleased again.

"What?" he said, irritated by her uncharacteristic behavior. Padme was acting so strange tonight. "Why are you looking at me that way?"

Padme pursed her lips and shook her head slowly. "Nothing. You're tired. Go get some sleep, Ani."

Immediately, he felt terrible for being such a moody bastard. His angel didn't deserve it. She didn't deserve to be on the receiving end of his temper. His confrontations with Vader still had him on edge.

"Sorry," he said with a sigh. "I'm really tired, I guess. I'll comm you when I get back."

She nodded with a faint smile and ended the transmission.

Anakin stared at the comlink, wondering when they'd stopped saying _I love you_ when they said their goodbyes. Of course it wasn't exactly safe to say it even on a supposedly secure channel, but still. They always used to say it.

Maybe it was just part of growing up.

Shaking his head, Anakin got to his feet and stretched his stiff muscles. Sith's balls, he really was tired. Even his uncomfortable couch seemed more appealing by the second, though not as appealing as joining his Master in his bed.

Leaving the ship in the capable hands of Artoo, Anakin headed toward Obi-Wan's cabin. Strictly speaking, it wasn't _Obi-Wan's_ cabin. Ahsoka took it if she accompanied him on missions, but Anakin was used to thinking of it as Obi-Wan's. It was a force of habit, after years of sharing everything with his Master. He still hadn't adjusted to being someone's Master, though Ahsoka was a good kid. Truth be told, Anakin kind of thought of her as his and Obi-Wan's padawan-- _their_ padawan. He didn't know why he didn't mind Ahsoka being _theirs_ while the mere thought of Obi-Wan getting a second padawan for real made him so _angry_ he didn't know what to do with himself.

A sound tore him out of his thoughts.

Frowning, Anakin stopped and looked at the door to his cabin. The sound had come from there.

He was pretty sure it was a moan.

Slowly, he walked to it and pushed the door slightly open.

He wished he hadn't.

Vader and Ben weren't meditating.

Ben was facing the door, his eyes closed as he rode Vader's cock slowly, almost lazily. Vader had his hands on Ben's hips, his face buried against Ben's nape. They both were breathing hard, gasps and moans escaping their lips as they rocked together.

"Anakin," Ben whispered, and for a moment, Anakin froze, thinking that Ben saw him.

But then Vader gritted out, "Shut up," and moved his flesh hand to wrap around Ben's erection. He squeezed it.

Anakin licked his lips. It looked obscene, seeing his Master's erection in his own hand--hell, seeing an older version of his Master fuck himself on his cock.

"My name is Darth Vader. Say it."

Ben squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head, his face as red as his leaking cock. "Anakin. My Anakin."

Vader made an inhuman sound and shoved Ben down, onto his elbows and knees, pushing Ben's face into the mattress. Gripping Ben's hip with his durasteel hand, he slammed back into him, making Ben cry out into the sheets.

"Say my name," Vader demanded, his voice shaking.

Ben remained stubbornly silent.

Snarling, Vader started fucking him in earnest, thrusting into him so hard it was making Ben move forward, down the bed. It looked brutal.

Anakin twitched, about to step forward, to stop Vader from hurting Ben when he realized that Ben didn't seem to mind at all. He was moaning, taking Vader's cock with ease that spoke volumes. His hands were gripping the sheets tightly, the arch of his back obscene as he rocked back onto Vader's length.

Anakin swallowed, his mouth going dry.

Vader's yellow eyes were fixed on the curve of Ben's back and ass, too, his hand tightening possessively on Ben's hip. "Say my name. Mine, not Skywalker's. You never wanted him like you want me. Despite everything I've done, you want _me_. Say my name."

"That's your name," Ben mumbled. He sounded gone. Completely out of it. "You're him."

"No," Vader said, leaning forward and speaking into Ben's nape as he thrust forcefully into him. "The boy you trained--he's not completely gone, yes, but I'm the one in charge, not him. It was the other way around when he was a Jedi."

Ben froze, his unfocused eyes opening. "Are you saying you're two separate personalities?"

Vader laughed hoarsely. "You would like that, wouldn't you? For me to be possessing his body? You want everything to be my fault and for your precious padawan to be blameless. But it doesn't work like that. I'd hate to disappoint you, but we've always been one and the same. I've always been part of the boy you raised, his dirty little secret, the darkness that lurked in his soul. Now it's the other way around."

"So you admit you're still Anakin," Ben said.

Growling in frustration, Vader wrapped his flesh hand around Ben's throat. "I admit no such thing," he said, biting the back of Ben's neck and sucking hickeys into it. "Why is this so karking important to you, old man?"

"Just say it," Been said, his eyes slipping shut as his lips parted. "Please, Anakin."

Vader shuddered, a flash of blue in his yellow eyes.

"Fine," he bit out. "You can call me Anakin. But you are a fool if you think I'm the same boy who worshipped the ground you walked on. I'm the part of him that wanted to tie you up and show you that there's no karking serenity, there's only passion."

Ben made a small, broken noise.

Vader chuckled, resuming his hard thrusts. His voice was unsteady as he spoke again. "Did you know that, Obi-Wan? Did you know how badly your good little padawan wanted to fuck your throat raw? Stuff you full of his cock? Use you until you were so sloppy with his come it would leak down your legs while you stood in front of the Council, pretending to be a perfect Jedi? Did you know how badly he wanted to leave marks all over you? Keep you still with the Force and just make you take it, _Master_?"

Ben cried out and came, his eyes glazing over with pleasure.

Vader pulled out of him, flipped Ben onto his back, and started stroking himself, fast and hard, his yellow eyes fixed intently on Ben's flushed face. "I should have killed you on Mustafar," the Sith said, his hand flying over his cock, a snarl twisting his face. "You make me weak."

Ben stared up at him for a moment, still breathless, before suddenly wrapping his arms around Vader's neck and pulling him down into a long, deep kiss. Vader made a small sound and came, rutting against Ben's stomach and kissing him like he wanted to swallow him whole.

Anakin shut the door and just looked at it blankly for a moment before turning and heading to Obi-Wan's cabin.

His Master was sleeping on his side, for once wearing only his undershirt and loose sleep pants. Anakin climbed into the bed beside him and curled around Obi-Wan's back. Obi-Wan mumbled something sleepily, but didn't awake; he must be really exhausted.

Anakin pressed his face against his Master's nape and breathed in his familiar scent as he tried to release his emotions into the Force. It didn't work. The image of Ben's face as he whispered " _Anakin, my Anakin"_ refused to be erased from his memory.

His groin felt heavy, his erection straining his underwear uncomfortably. Anakin gritted his teeth, breathing deeply. As a padawan, he'd had a lot of practice ignoring erections caused by his Master. When he hadn't been able to ignore his arousal, he had touched himself, imagining his Master inside him or beneath him, coming apart on Anakin's cock. He had never felt guilty or weird about it--with such a beautiful Master, it would have been strange if Obi-Wan _didn't_ star in his jerk-off fantasies. Besides, practically all padawans had crushes on their masters at some point. It was nothing strange.

But for the past few years, ever since meeting his angel again, he didn't have this problem, or rather, it was easier to ignore the attractiveness of his Master when he was getting regular sex as a married man.

But now...it was hard not to think about it again when now he knew what Obi-Wan would sound like during sex--what he would look like under him, moaning his name.

_Anakin, my Anakin._

Karking hell. Anakin couldn't help but wonder whether Vader's words were true. Did Ben--Obi-Wan--want just the twisted, dark version of Anakin Vader was? Had Obi-Wan ever wanted his padawan that way?

Yesterday, Anakin would have laughed and said _no karking way_. His Master was such a perfect Jedi; he probably never even thought about sex, much less about sex with his former padawan. But apparently he had been wrong about Obi-Wan being a monk all these years. Could he be wrong about this, too?

 _It doesn't matter_ , a voice at the back of his mind reminded him. _You're married to Padme, remember?_

Anakin frowned. He felt... he didn't know what the kark he felt.

Kriffing hell, his head hurt from all these thoughts.

Sighing, Anakin buried his face against his Master's nape, nuzzling the smooth skin where Obi-Wan's neck met his back. Force, nothing ever felt more like home than this. He could stay like this forever, just inhaling his Master's scent and holding him. He would bottle up Obi-Wan's scent if he could.

"Anakin?" Obi-Wan said sleepily.

Anakin went still. He couldn't help but compare the way Obi-Wan and Ben said his name. There was something _broken_ and desperate in the way Ben said it, while Obi-Wan said _Anakin_ as if it was the most cherished word for him.

"Yes, Master," Anakin said with a smile, brushing his lips against Obi-Wan's nape reverently. "Go back to sleep."

And Obi-Wan did, just like that, leaning back into Anakin's arms. So trusting.

Anakin felt a surge of vicious satisfaction. Vader might have Ben's body, but he would never have this absolute trust. Obi-Wan was _his_ in a way Ben would never be Vader's.

And Anakin would do _anything_ to keep it this way.

"I'll never break your trust," Anakin whispered fiercely into his Master's nape. _I'll never break us like he did. I swear._

He didn't remember falling sleep.

_He dreamed of a cold, cruel laugh._

_He dreamed of darkness spreading through his very being, threatening to swallow him completely._

_He dreamed of a familiar voice, crying, "Don't do it, Anakin!"_

Anakin snapped his eyes open, his heart pounding and his stomach clenched in dread.

Gradually, his unease faded away as he stared at his Master's calm, peaceful face next to his.

It was just a dream.

Just a dream.

Anakin tightened his arm around Obi-Wan and shifted, putting his head on Obi-Wan's chest and letting the rhythmic heartbeat of his Master lull him back into sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for your comments! I also would like to note that this fic is not an OT3 fic. As a reader, I adore Padme/Ani/Obi-Wan fanfiction, but this is not one of them. I hope you aren't disappointed. This is an Obikin story, with Anakin just being a mess of a human being.

* * *

Mace Windu looked from one Skywalker to the other and wished he were somewhere else in the galaxy--anywhere but here.

The Sith Skywalker was proving to be even more aggravating than their Skywalker, which was a feat Mace hadn't thought was possible.

"I don't care," Vader said, looking at him with those unnerving yellow eyes. "I get the holocron first, and then I'll give you the information you want." Beside him, Ben Kenobi had a strangely far-away expression on his face as he looked around the Council room. He'd be no help for them.

Mace looked at their own pair of Kenobi-Skywalker. Obi-Wan shook his head slightly; clearly he'd had no success changing Vader's mind. Skywalker just scowled at Vader.

"Do it, we cannot," Yoda said, looking at Vader. "No guarantee we have that tell the truth you will after getting the holocron, Lord Vader."

Vader sneered. "And what guarantee do I have that you'll give me the holocron after I tell you what you want?"

"We already know that Palpatine is the Sith Lord," Mace said, as calmly as he could. This particular piece of information that Obi-Wan had told them still made his fingers itch for his lightsaber. Judging by the other Council members' uneasy expressions, they, too, were still having trouble processing it. "That should be enough to stop him. We don't need your information, Skywalker." Unlike Yoda, Mace refused to call Skywalker by his Sith moniker.

Vader glared at him. "You are delusional if you think so. Your arrogance is blinding you."

Mace almost snorted. Skywalker was calling _him_ arrogant?

"Sidious has contingency plans in case of his death or arrest," Vader said, his lips curling in contempt. "Your entire Order will be slaughtered like cattle if you don't get the crucial piece of information I possess."

Ignoring his jolt of unease, Mace opened his mouth to dismiss that utterly ridiculous claim when a quiet voice said, "He's telling the truth."

Mace looked at the older Obi-Wan, still disquieted by the expression of his eyes as he looked around the Council. Ben looked as though he was seeing ghosts.

"You should listen to him," Ben said, his tone weary. "If you don't, everyone in this room will be part of the Force in not so distant future."

A murmur ran through the Council chamber.

"Possess this information, you also," Yoda said, peering at Ben. "Tell it to us, you should, young Obi-Wan."

Ben smiled sadly and shook his head. "I already told you more than I should have. I'm an old man, Master. I have younglings back home that need me. I am not ready to join the Force yet."

Mace leaned forward. "So it's true? He wants the holocron to save your life, Obi-Wan?

Ben nodded, causing another ripple of whispers to go through the room.

Mace frowned. He probably shouldn't have been so surprised. Skywalker's inappropriate attachment to his Master had always been blatantly obvious, and apparently that hadn't changed with his Fall.

"Very well," Yoda said, his eyes thoughtful as he stared not at Vader or Ben but at Skywalker. At last, he looked at Vader. "The holocron, we will give. But keep your former Master in the Temple, we will. As a precaution."

Vader's golden eyes narrowed. "No. Kenobi stays with me at all times. We will not be parted."

"It's fine, Anakin," Ben said quietly. "They won't do me any harm here."

Mace pursed his lips in thought when he saw that Vader actually seemed to listen to him.

Curious.

"Fine," Vader bit off. "Give me the holocron now, and then we'll talk."

Mace exchanged a look with Yoda, who just nodded.

Sighing, Mace pulled out the holocron from the pocket of his tunic. They'd gone down and retrieved it, not wanting to leave it in the same place since the Sith knew the vault it was located in.

Vader stared hungrily at it and then flicked his fingers, yanking the holocron out of Mace's hand and into his own. Mace barely held back a scathing rebuke at the blatant misuse of the Force.

The holocron glowed and opened the moment Vader's skin touched it, no doubt recognizing a Dark user of the Force. A holotext appeared, but it seemed like gibberish. However, it looked like Vader could actually understand what it said. He scrolled the text down, his yellow eyes taking it in greedily. At last, Vader smiled and closed the holocron.

Frowning, Mace looked around, but it didn't seem as though anyone in the Council had understood what the holocron revealed. Perhaps it was true that Sith holocrons revealed their secrets only to a Dark user.

"Well?" Mace said.

Vader shrugged and, summoning a Force lightning, destroyed the holocron.

Mace flinched. "That wasn't the deal, Skywalker," he gritted out, regretting that they'd agreed to take off Vader's Force-blocking collar when he'd entered the Council chamber.

Vader glowered at him. "That is not my name, Jedi."

"You just allowed Kenobi to call you Anakin."

Vader gave him a dirty look and looked at the remnants of the holocron. "This holocron was too dangerous to keep in the Temple. If Sidious got his hands on it..."

"He's right," the younger Obi-Wan said, looking thoughtful. "Only a Sith could understand it, so it was of no use to us, anyway."

"What did it say?" Skywalker said, looking at Vader. Mace noted that he looked unhealthily interested.

Before Vader could say anything, Yoda cut in, "Got what you wanted, you have. Now tell us everything, you must."

Vader looked as though he was considering not keeping his end of the deal. Mace laid his hand on his lightsaber.

"Anakin," Ben said softly, touching his arm.

Vader threw him an annoyed look, his jaw clenching. How peculiar. Mace got a strangest impression that Vader both hated and loved being called by his old name.

"It's the clones," Vader ground out, still looking irritated. "They have organic chips built into their genetic code to make them do whatever Sidious wants. Sidious used Order 66 to make them attack the Jedi. They lost all their agency and turned on their own generals."

Mace's stomach churned. Obi-Wan and Skywalker looked pale, as did the other members of the Council.

"When does it happen?" Mace managed. "Chronologically." He couldn't help but think that even at that moment, they had thousands of clones stationed near the Temple.

"In our timeline, it happened when I was twenty-two," Vader said.

Two years from now. Mace somewhat relaxed, but then Vader's next words made him tense up again.

"Of course there's no telling when the attack will happen in this dimension," Vader said, shrugging. "Thanks to that holovid, our arrival here didn't go unnoticed by Sidious. He's likely worried that we might reveal something to you. He would be a fool not to, and he's no fool."

"But he knows you are a Sith," Obi-Wan said, looking at Vader. "He wouldn't expect a Sith to tell anything to the Jedi."

"Yes, that's probably why he hasn't made a move yet," Vader said. "But it would be wise of you not to underestimate him."

"Will you help us defeat him?" Mace said, boring his gaze into Vader. While he was confident in his own skills, confident that he would be able to defeat even a most skilled Sith, he needed to know where Vader's loyalties truly lay. They couldn't afford fighting two Sith Lords, especially one as powerful in the Force as Skywalker.

To his surprise, Vader nodded without hesitation. "I will."

Mace looked at him in deep suspicion, but he couldn't sense any falsehood in that statement.

"Report to Master Che and tell her everything you know about the chip in the clones," Mace said. "We will inform you once we have a plan how to deal with Sidious."

Vader's nostrils flared, his rage palpable. He clearly didn't appreciate being treated like a subordinate--like a Jedi. His hand twitched toward his crimson lightsaber. For a moment, Mace thought he would attack--he almost wanted Vader to, to test how good he was--but once again, Ben touched Vader's shoulder and said something quietly to him, something that made him relax a little. Throwing Mace an angry look, Vader grabbed Ben's arm and stalked out of the Council chamber, three Temple guards trailing after them.

It was significantly easier to breathe without Vader in the room, without the Darkness that clung to Vader like a second skin.

For a moment, Mace wondered if they should be letting a Sith Lord walk freely through the Temple, but the Force seemed strangely calm at the prospect. The Force insisted that Vader wasn't interested in doing harm to the Jedi. There was something in this dimension that still interested Vader; Mace was sure of it, but Vader's motives seemed harmless enough.

Or perhaps he was fooling them all.

In any case, Mace felt strangely certain that Ben Kenobi wouldn't let his former apprentice do anything harmful to the Jedi. Although Vader clearly had the upper hand in that strange relationship, Ben could definitely control Vader's violence, to a degree at least.

"Are we dismissed, too?" Skywalker said.

Insolent boy.

"No," Yoda said, studying Skywalker thoughtfully. "Seeing your Sith counterpart, what emotion it causes in you?"

Skywalker blinked before giving a short laugh. "Seriously, Master? We have a Sith Lord as the ruler of the Republic, but you want to talk about my feelings?"

Mace had to admit the boy had a point. They had far more urgent matters to deal with than this.

"Answer me, you will," Yoda said, clearly disagreeing with Mace.

"Answer Master Yoda, Anakin," Obi-Wan said quietly.

Once again, Mace couldn't help but note the similarities between the two Kenobi-Skywalker pairs. It seemed no matter the universe, Kenobi remained the voice of reason Skywalker listened to. It would be comforting if it didn't _stink_ of attachment.

Skywalker scowled. "With all due respect, Master," he said, looking at the ancient Grandmaster. "But what would you feel if an evil version of you turned up here?"

"Reflect on my weaknesses and shortcomings, I would," Yoda said, eyeing him thoughtfully. "Those to the Dark side, that might lead me."

Skywalker shrugged. "I already know what happened, more or less. Palpatine clearly turned Vader against his Master, somehow convincing him that Ben and the Jedi were his enemies. It won't happen here, Master. I would never betray my Master's teachings."

Yoda shook his head. "Understand, you still do not," he said. "Understand the Code, you do not. Taught your padawan nothing, have you not, Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan's dropped his gaze, his shoulders hunched in shame.

"Don't blame my Master for my perceived shortcomings," Skywalker gritted out, stepping forward, as if to protect Obi-Wan from Yoda.

For a moment, Mace was speechless from the audacity of that insolent boy.

Yoda lifted his hand when Mace was about to dress Skywalker down.

"Trained you into a great warrior, your Master did," Yoda said. "Rival your skill with a lightsaber, few can, Young Skywalker. But to being a Jedi, there is more. Understand it, you still do not." He shook his head sadly. "Still drive you, your emotions and attachments do."

"Master, I assure you my attachments don't drive me," Skywalker said in a suspiciously calm, respectful voice.

The change in Skywalker was so quick that Mace stared at him in bemusement.

Yoda leaned forward, his ears twitching. "Yet a wife, you have!"

Skywalker paled.

Mace wondered if the boy had thought Master Kenobi hadn't included that fact in his report. Or perhaps he had been hoping that in all the chaos surrounding Palpatine, his transgressions would be forgotten.

Skywalker dropped his gaze. "I do, Master," he said quietly. "I know I broke the Code, but I was young and foolish when I married her--a mere padawan. I assure you I won't let my marriage interfere with my ability to serve the people of the Republic and the Order."

Yoda snorted. "Promise that, you cannot. Already endangered the world Darth Vader has, for Senator Amidala."

"I'm not him," Skywalker said. "I think it is...illogical to blame me for the crimes I didn't commit."

 _Yet_ , Mace thought, but he couldn't help feeling somewhat surprised by Skywalker's composure. A few days ago, Skywalker would have been shouting about how "unfair" it was, instead of rationally arguing his point. Mace was puzzled by such sudden change. Besides Skywalker's earlier show of temper when Yoda had accused Obi-Wan of his failure as a teacher, Skywalker had been surprisingly well-behaved. There was a new serenity about him that hadn't been there just a few days ago, as if Skywalker finally knew his place in the universe.

It was bizarre.

"Let go, of that attachment to your wife, can you?" Yoda said, watching Skywalker carefully.

Mace saw Obi-Wan flinch, as if bracing himself for Skywalker's outburst.

It never came.

Skywalker dropped his gaze again, seemingly considering it seriously. "I can," he said firmly.

Obi-Wan's eyes widened.

"Hmm," Yoda said, sounding as doubtful as Mace felt. "Divorce her, are you ready?"

This time, Skywalker took longer to reply. He glanced at Obi-Wan. Finally, he nodded. "If you feel that it is the will of the Force, I will."

Obi-Wan turned away, coughing into his hand.

Mace stared at Skywalker's serene face, wondering if they all were suddenly in an alternate reality.

He wanted to accuse Skywalker of lying to their faces, but he would look like the immature one if he claimed it without any proof.

"Very well," Mace said, smiling tightly. "Then we expect you to file for the divorce immediately."

Finally, Skywalker showed a reaction Mace had expected: his jaw clenched slightly, his nostrils flaring. But he glanced at Obi-Wan and seemed to calm down once again. Mace would almost think Obi-Wan was compelling him somehow, except Master Kenobi looked as puzzled by his former padawan's behavior as Mace was.

"I will, Master," Skywalker said with a formal bow.

Mace glared at him.

"Very well, Young Skywalker," Yoda said, his eyes glinting with what might be humor. "Your wife, if you forsake, forgiven your transgression will be. A Jedi you can remain."

Skywalker bowed his head. "Thank you, Master."

Yoda snorted. "Dismissed, you are. Speak with Obi-Wan alone, we would like."

Frowning slightly, Skywalker bowed to the Council and headed for the door.

Mace narrowed his eyes, looking between Skywalker and Kenobi. The Force between them was active, as if they were communicating.

"Have you not severed your training bond to Skywalker?" Mace said the moment Skywalker left.

Master Kenobi dropped his gaze before meeting his calmly. "I have not. We are at war. I believe our bond is beneficial to us on the battlefield. It makes us more in sync with each other."

"Hmm," Yoda said before Mace could tell Obi-Wan to sever the bond immediately. "Deeper it is than a training bond. Feel its strength, I can. But see harm, I do not. Grounds him, it does."

This time Mace couldn't keep quiet. "Forgive me, Master," he grated out. "But such a bond can be formed only through a deep attachment."

Obi-Wan's face became slightly pink.

Yoda nodded. "Correct, you are. But wise, we must be. Take away at once, all Skywalker's attachments we can't. Emotional, he is. Unstable, he will be."

"So we must allow him to keep breaking the Code?" Mace said, as calmly as he could. Sometimes Yoda's decisions didn't make sense.

The ancient Grandmaster looked at Obi-Wan thoughtfully. "Stronger their bond is, than it was before this mission. More grounded Young Skywalker is, than he was before. Benefits of their bond, I see. Against the Jedi Code it might be, but..." Yoda sighed, suddenly looking very old and tired. "Wrong the Jedi Code might be. Wrong the Jedi might be."

A shocked murmur ran among the members of the Council.

Mace stared at Yoda. He understood why Yoda was having doubts, of course. After the recent revelations, it was difficult not to. The state of the Force, clouded and out of balance for a long time, made one wonder, too. They had thought that the Sith were responsible, but could one Sith bring the whole Force out of balance? The Sith were a symptom, not the disease.

Had they been wrong? Had they been misguided and arrogant in their beliefs? Were the Jedi the ones that made the Force unbalanced? They had been so focused on the dangers of attachment that they were perhaps unable to properly consider the dangers of _detachment_. If in that other world, they had listened to Skywalker's fears, to his doubts, instead of dismissing them, the Jedi Order wouldn't have been destroyed. In a way, Vader had fulfilled the Prophecy of the Chosen One and brought balance to the Force, by destroying both the Jedi and Sith.

Mace swallowed, setting the thought aside to meditate on later.

"Master, if you have doubts," Obi-Wan said carefully, "then why did you force Anakin to let go of his attachment to his--wife?"

Frowning, Mace noted how difficult it was for Obi-Wan to say the word 'wife'.

"Corrupted that attachment is," Yoda said. "Selfish and greedy, not pure. Understand it, he does not. Equally dangerous, not all attachments are." Yoda gave Obi-Wan a penetrative look. "Force him, I did not. Choices, he had. A choice, he made."

Obi-Wan averted his gaze and nodded.

It made Mace wonder.

 

***

 

Anakin smiled fleetingly at Sabé as he was allowed inside Padme's apartment.

"Ani!" Padme said as she rose to her feet.

He hugged her and kissed her hard before looking at her beautiful, kind face with an uneasy smile. "Hi."

"I didn't expect you so soon," she said, pulling back and looking at him searchingly. "Is something wrong?"

Anakin grimaced. "Actually, yes," he said. "The Council found out about our marriage."

Padme paled. "Oh. Are they going to expel you from the Order?"

His jaw clenching, Anakin ran a hand over his hair. "They are allowing me to stay as long as I..."

"As long as you what, Ani?" she said, frowning.

"As long as I prove to them that I have no attachment to you and divorce you."

Padme let out a sigh. "Oh, Ani. I'm so sorry. I know being a Jedi was your dream."

Anakin averted his gaze. "I didn't say no."

Silence.

"What?" Padme said.

Anakin spoke quickly, "Obviously it won't be for real! We get a divorce on paper, but we'll keep being married and we'll remarry once they get off my back!"

"Ani, are you actually serious?" Padme said faintly.

Anakin nodded, looking at her intently. "We don't need a piece of paper to love each other, right?"

Her beautiful eyes just stared at him for a long moment. "It's not about a piece of paper," she said at last. "It's about the fact that you're choosing being a Jedi over being my husband."

Shaking his head, Anakin took her shoulders into his hands. "No! It won't mean anything--I'll still be your husband in all the ways that matter--"

"In what ways?" Padme said, chuckling. "Ani, I have to hide my marriage from my own family, we can't go anywhere together, we can't have children, and I'm forced to _lie_ all the time for you! And now you're saying that you want to divorce me so that you can keep being a Jedi? Are you serious, Ani?"

Anakin winced. Why had it sounded so much better in his head?

"Do you want me to leave the Order for you, then? I can't do it."

"Why not?" she said quietly. "I know being a Jedi was your dream as a child, but you don't have to be a Jedi to travel the galaxy and help people, Ani. You can be a bodyguard. Or with your skills as a mechanic, you can easily find a good job here on Coruscant. We can be open about our love, we can be happy!"

Anakin shook his head. "I want to stay in the Order. I _need_ to, Padme."

" _Why_?"

"I can't be a kriffing civilian here on Coruscant while Master goes to the front lines of the war without me," Anakin gritted out, beyond frustrated. He'd thought she would be more understanding.

Padme closed her eyes for a moment. "I see," she said tonelessly, turning away.

Anakin frowned. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Padme walked to the window and stared out at the Coruscant skyline, her back very straight. "It's not the Jedi you're choosing over your marriage, Ani. You're choosing being with your Master to being with your wife."

Anakin chuckled. "Don't be ridiculous--"

"I might be simplifying it, but that's what it is." Her voice was flat. "That's what your choice comes down to: Obi-Wan or me. And you didn't choose me."

"No!" Anakin walked over to Padme and wrapped his arms around her from behind. "I love you, you know I do. The fact that I want to keep my Master from getting himself killed doesn't change that!"

Padme remained rigid in his arms. "I've been a target of countless assassination attempts," she said. "And yet you don't want to stay beside me all the time to protect me."

"Because you have bodyguards!"

"And Master Kenobi has an entire _army_ to protect him. Not to mention that he's one of the most skilled warriors in the Order--he can protect himself far better than I can."

Anakin scoffed. Suppressing the urge to say that the army in question couldn't be trusted with Obi-Wan's safety at all, he said, "You don't have his stupid self-sacrificing instincts. Obi-Wan thinks his health comes last. He says I'm the reckless one, but he's the one who jumps out of windows for the sake of a mission! Master will die without me within a month." He nuzzled his face against her hair. "I love you, angel. Please believe me."

Padme remained stiff in his embrace. "Sometimes I wondered...I wondered if I was just the source of unconditional love and acceptance for you while you couldn't have Obi-Wan's. But now that you finally have him admitting that he has... _deepest attachment_ to you, it seems I'm not essential anymore."

Anakin froze, Vader's voice echoing in his mind.

" _Skywalker was so fixated on her because she unconditionally adored him and supported him in situations Obi-Wan wouldn't. The moment she said that she wouldn't do it anymore, Skywalker went mad with rage and Force-choked her, a heavily pregnant woman. What a tender, deep love, isn't it?"_

"No," Anakin whispered. "It's not true."

She chuckled humorlessly. "Maybe, maybe not. But it hardly matters, doesn't it? Even if you really love me, you still love him more, Ani."

Anakin groaned in frustration and pulled away from her. "It's not a competition, for kark's sake! You're my wife and he's my Master! Why can't I love you both equally?"

Padme turned to him, her arms clasped behind her back. "You can love us equally," she said with a sad, rueful smile. "But you don't. That's the problem."

Anakin shook his head and opened his mouth when Padme cut him off. "May I ask you a hypothetical question?" she said. "Imagine a Sith holding a lightsaber to my throat. And another Sith holding a lightsaber to Master Kenobi's. You can save only one of us in time. The other will die. Who will you save?"

"I'll save you both."

A sad look flickered in Padme's eyes. "You can't. You can choose to save only one of us."

Anakin swallowed.

He wanted to say that he would save Padme. She was his beloved angel, the one person who loved him unconditionally.

But.

But he couldn't imagine letting his Master die. A world without Obi-Wan didn't--it didn't make _sense_.

Padme nodded with a tight smile. "Perhaps it's for the best," she whispered. "I don't like the person I've become for you--someone who lies and makes excuses, someone who does nothing to stop injustice if it's done by you. I've always detested politicians like that, but thanks to our marriage, I've become one of them. I should have told someone about the Tuskens, I should have told you that slaughtering innocent women and children was _never_ okay, but I didn't." She shook her head, her eyes filling with tears. "I still love you, Ani, but I think...I think we bring out the worst in each other. I'm a better person without you. Perhaps we should have never gotten married in the first place."

"Don't say that," Anakin managed.

"It's true," she said. "Love should never be toxic. It should never destroy a person's integrity. The person you love should bring out the best in you, not the worst." She smiled sadly. "I've seen you with Master Kenobi. _He_ brings out the best in you. You always try to be a better person for him. I've seen that, but I refused to _see_. Love is truly blind."

Anakin clenched his jaw.

"I'll tell my lawyer to prepare the paperwork," Padme said quietly before striding toward her bedroom, her head held high.

When Anakin attempted to follow her, two of her handmaidens blocked his path, glaring at him.

His heart heavy, Anakin turned and left the apartment.

Padme's words--and _Vader's_ \--kept playing in his head, over and over and over. 

Were they right? Was he really that selfish that he used Padme as the source of unconditional love and acceptance? Because he needed someone to love him and she was just the only one who did?

No, of course not. _Right_?

Anakin's feet took him toward the Temple, where the bond that pulsed at the back of his mind promised warmth and affection.

 _Home_.

 _Obi-Wan_. 

He wanted to see his Master.

Obi-Wan would help him. Obi-Wan would help him figure it out.

They could _fix_ everything. Together.

They always did.


	11. Chapter 11

* * *

Obi-Wan knew that Anakin was upset long before he'd heard him enter their quarters: Anakin had been projecting his emotions so strongly that it pulled him out of his meditation. There was a great deal of confusion, anger, and self-loathing. The emotions were concerning, but Obi-Wan also couldn't help but be disturbed by the strength of their Force bond lately. He shouldn't have been able to feel Anakin's emotions so acutely when they were so far apart. Perhaps Mace had been right to scold him for allowing their training bond to become so deep.

Anakin slammed the door to their quarters shut.

Then there was a moment's silence before Anakin's footsteps approached Obi-Wan's room.

Obi-Wan opened his eyes and looked at the door as it opened.

The young man who entered his room wasn't the same confident Knight that left the Council chamber over an hour ago. Anakin seemed absolutely dejected, his emotions all over the place.

Obi-Wan eyed the defeated slump of his shoulders before saying, "Come here, dear one."

Anakin walked over and collapsed on Obi-Wan's meditation mat, putting his head in Obi-Wan's lap.

Obi-Wan stiffened slightly, surprised. It had been nearly a decade since Anakin had requested comfort from him so openly. The last time it happened, Anakin had still been a small boy, seeking comfort from his Master after being reprimanded publicly by Master Windu for his fight with another padawan.

 

_"I hate them," his eleven-year-old padawan whispered fiercely into his chest. "They all hate me, Master."_

_"That's not true, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, not knowing what else to say and wondering what Qui-Gon would have done in his place. He sat, frozen, feeling painfully young and inadequate, unsure what to do with a lapful of his upset padawan. He could sense that it would be wrong to scold the boy for his emotions right now. Anakin wasn't behaving like a proper Jedi padawan should, all but clinging to him and silently demanding comfort. Masters weren't supposed to comfort their padawans. Masters were supposed to guide them firmly and teach them, nothing more. Qui-Gon would have probably told Anakin something wise. He would have been a good Master for Anakin._

_Obi-Wan wasn't a good Master._

_He wrapped his arms tentatively around the boy and his throat closed up when he felt a burst of happiness from Anakin through their training bond._

_"I don't hate you, Master," Anakin muttered suddenly. "I know I said that last week, but I lied. You're my favorite thing in this stupid place."_

_Obi-Wan felt his chest tighten with overwhelming affection._

_Force, this was not...good. Some attachment between Masters and their padawans was unavoidable, but this... such strong attachment was unacceptable; Obi-Wan knew that._

_And yet, he didn't pull away. He held Anakin in his arms until he could feel nothing but contentment through their bond._

_It was the first time Obi-Wan realized the depth of his attachment to Anakin. It was the first time he realized that this stubborn, emotional boy had managed to become the most precious thing to him in the few short years he was Obi-Wan's padawan._

 

It had been nearly a decade since then.

Anakin was no longer that boy, but a strong man bigger than Obi-Wan, and yet it wasn't any easier to remain detached when his padawan was so upset.

His head in Obi-Wan's lap, Anakin stared at the ceiling unseeingly before closing his eyes.

Hesitantly, Obi-Wan brought his hand to Anakin's hair. "What's wrong, Anakin?"

Anakin leaned into the touch. "Padme and I are getting a divorce."

Obi-Wan frowned. "Yes, I heard your conversation with Master Yoda."

Anakin shook his head. "She wants to divorce me for real."

"Are you saying you lied to the Council about your intentions?" Obi-Wan kept his voice carefully neutral. He'd had his suspicions, of course, but having it confirmed by Anakin just made him uncomfortable, since he was a member of the Council, too.

Anakin winced. "No? Sort of? I thought we'd get a divorce, but that it wouldn't mean anything. But Padme--she says... she took it very badly." He sighed, his jaw clenching. "It felt like we were speaking different languages, Master. I was saying one thing, but she took it the wrong way and started saying some Bantha fodder about me not really loving her just because I refused to leave the Jedi for her."

Obi-Wan pondered it, unsure what to say. He couldn't claim to know Senator Amidala all that well, but from what he knew of her, she was a kind, intelligent woman with firm principles and a deep passion for her work. He could understand why she would be offended by such mockery of a marriage, but she didn't really seem like a woman who would force her husband to stop being what he wanted to be. "Are you sure that is why she wants a divorce?"

For some reason, a flush appeared on Anakin's tanned face. "She might have said something about me choosing you over her."

Obi-Wan's heart skipped a beat. "Pardon?" he said.

"I told her I needed to stay a Jedi to be close to you so I could protect you. She didn't like it."

Obi-Wan pursed his lips. He didn't bother telling Anakin that he didn't need to be protected, knowing that it would be fruitless. "Are you saying that I am at fault for her decision to divorce you?"

Anakin's eyes snapped open. "Of course not, Master," he said, looking at him intently. He grabbed Obi-Wan's hand and squeezed it with his own. "You're not at fault for my relationship troubles--or for my failures as a Jedi, no matter what Master Yoda implied."

Obi-Wan frowned. "Anakin--"

"No, Master." Anakin played with Obi-Wan's fingers, stroking them absent-mindedly. "You're the only thing that's keeping me together, Obi-Wan. I don't know what I'd to if it weren't for you."

Having one's fingers stroked should not be so pleasurable. His fingers were tingling from Anakin's touch, warmth spreading to other parts of his body.

Obi-Wan licked his dry lips, once again grateful for his Jedi robes, since Anakin's head was uncomfortably close to the evidence of his inappropriate reaction to his former padawan's touch.

Anakin's blue eyes gazed at him intently. "She doesn't seem to understand what you mean to me, Master." Anakin's fingers stroked Obi-Wan's index finger up and down, absent-mindedly but in a way that was oddly hypnotizing. "She got it all mixed up." Anakin scoffed. "Padme seems to think you and her are in competition for my love, which is kriffing ridiculous! I love you completely differently from the way I love her."

Obi-Wan took a deep breath. Suppressing the urge to rebuke Anakin for attachments--a habit he probably needed to break if the Jedi Order were to change--he said, "I understand, Anakin. My...attachment to my Master was definitely different from my emotions toward people I was romantically interested in in my youth. I suppose I saw him as a father figure."

Anakin wrinkled his forehead. "I don't see you as a father figure. I mean, I never had a father, so I don't know how normal people love their fathers, but I really doubt that they love them the way I love you." He smirked a little, seemingly finding it amusing.

Obi-Wan didn't ask him to clarify. He didn't want to open that particular can of worms again. Anakin had already admitted that he had something of a crush on him as a young padawan; there was no need to discuss it again. It was in the past, according to Anakin.

"Besides, you're way too young to be seen as a father figure," Anakin said, looking at Obi-Wan in a way that could only be described as greedy. "I haven't forgotten about our bet," he murmured with a smirk, lifting his free hand and touching Obi-Wan's beard. "The beard suits you, Master, but we both know you're hiding your baby face under it."

"Anakin," Obi-Wan said exasperatedly.

"You know I'm right, Master," Anakin said, grinning, as he stroked Obi-Wan's jaw line slowly, causing a shiver ran over Obi-Wan's skin.

Their eyes locked, and the amusement faded from Anakin's eyes, his gaze becoming intense and fixated.

The tips of Anakin's fingers skimmed over his jaw before brushing against Obi-Wan's mouth. "I hate that your beard hides your dimples, Master." His thumb stroked Obi-Wan's bottom lip. "You have a beautiful smile."

"Anakin," Obi-Wan managed, his face warming.

Anakin brought Obi-Wan's hand to his lips and kissed it, his gaze locked on Obi-Wan's mouth. "You shouldn't be embarrassed, Master," he said. "It's true. Don't you know how beautiful your smile is? I could stare at it forever."

Obi-Wan averted his gaze, trying to gather his thoughts. He didn't understand what was going on anymore. Anakin was giving him whiplash. Wasn't Anakin upset about losing his beloved wife just a minute ago? Anakin had just _said_ that he loved Obi-Wan completely differently from the way he loved her, and yet...it was difficult to take Anakin's intense gaze for something other than desire.

"I thought you were upset about Senator Amidala," Obi-Wan reminded him, surprised how calm he managed to sound.

"I am," Anakin said, his finger tracing the shape of Obi-Wan's lips. "But being with you always makes me feel better, Master." Anakin's thumb pushed insistently against his mouth until Obi-Wan gave in and parted his lips. "Oh kark," Anakin whispered, watching his thumb disappear inside Obi-Wan's mouth.

Obi-Wan shuddered, unable to think clearly anymore, all his senses narrowing to that thumb in his mouth and Anakin's blue, blue eyes.

He couldn't help it: he _sucked_.

Anakin's gaze darkened, his nostrils flaring, the air between them thickening with tension that was so palpable he could nearly taste it.

Their comlinks went off at the same time, breaking the spell.

Flinching, Obi-Wan hurriedly got to his feet, his face aflame and his knees disconcertingly weak.

He answered his comm, audio only. "Kenobi here," he said as calmly as he could.

He shouldn't have bothered: Mace sounded too agitated himself to notice anything amiss.

"We have an emergency. Vader slipped away from his guards and left the Temple."

Obi-Wan closed his eyes for a moment. They should have perhaps expected it. The Sith Lord had been suspiciously well-behaved. "What about Ben?"

"He's still here, but he says Vader told him nothing about his intentions. We expect you in the Council chamber immediately, Obi-Wan. Bring Skywalker too. He isn't a Council member, but we might have a mission for him."

Obi-Wan switched off his comlink. "Anakin--"

"I can find him," Anakin said, his tone all business as he headed for the door.

Frowning, Obi-Wan followed out of their quarters. "What do you mean? How?"

"I can feel Vader in the Force," Anakin said. "It's not quite a bond--just a weird echo in the Force, as if the Force recognizes that there are currently two of me in this dimension drawing on the Force when there should be just one. But I can only follow him while he still isn't far away. Go to the Council, Master--"

"No, Anakin!"

Anakin turned around and took his shoulders. "I've got this, Master. Don't worry, I won't engage. I'll comm you once I find him." He stared at Obi-Wan intently for a moment before suddenly leaning down and kissing the corner of his mouth.

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan said, flushing and glancing around, to make sure no one had seen it. His lips were tingling.

"I'll be careful," Anakin said, looking up from his mouth to his eyes. "May the Force be with you, Master."

"May the Force be with you," Obi-Wan whispered as Anakin strode away.

There was a ball of anxiety in the pit of his stomach as he went the other way, toward the Council chamber.

Something was going to happen; he could feel it. The Force seemed restless and agitated.

He hoped he hadn't just made a mistake by allowing Anakin to go after Vader alone. Vader, who was a significantly more experienced, ruthless and selfish version of Anakin. Vader, whose true loyalties they didn't know for sure.

Obi-Wan tried to release his fear into the Force before he entered the Council chamber, but to his further frustration, he failed.

The first thing Obi-Wan saw as he walked into the chamber was Ben's terribly blank face.

"I told you: I do not know," Ben said, looking at Master Yoda. He sounded weary, his shoulders hunched. "He didn't tell me. He just left."

Mace was frowning deeply. "Did he tell you what the holocron revealed?"

Ben shook his head. "He only said that fixing me would be a lot easier than he expected. And that he had a plan."

"Happy about it, you are not," Yoda said.

Ben chuckled, the sound humorless and dry. "Vader might have the power of the Dark side, but he's still Anakin, Master. He's never been good at thinking things through before he acted."

Yoda eyed him thoughtfully. "Worried, you are. About what Darth Vader might do? Or _for_ _him_?"

Ben averted his gaze, his shame palpable.

Mace sneered.

Yoda shook his head and shifted his gaze to Obi-Wan, his eyes sharp and pensive.

Obi-Wan tried not to blush. Having the whole Council learn about the depth of Ben's attachment to his Anakin--to a Sith Anakin who'd committed countless atrocities--put Obi-Wan into a rather awkward position.

"Young Skywalker, where he is, Obi-Wan?" Yoda said.

"He went after Vader, Master. Anakin said he could sense him in the Force. He promised to comm me once he locates Vader."

"Hmm," Yoda said. "Has he?"

Obi-Wan glanced at his silent comlink, trying not to frown. "Not yet."

When he looked up, his gaze caught Ben's. Obi-Wan could see in his counterpart's eyes the same anxiety and fear that were twisting his stomach into a hard knot.

It seemed no matter the universe, no matter whether Anakin was a Jedi or a Sith, he would always be the center of Obi-Wan's world.

The thought was both comforting and terrifying.


	12. Chapter 12

* * *

Anakin frowned, watching the tall building. He was reasonably certain that Vader was inside it, which was good news. The bad news was, it was the building Palpatine--Sidious--lived in.

Anakin glanced at his comlink, hesitating. He _had_ promised his Master that he wouldn't engage Vader and would just inform Obi-Wan when he found him, but... He didn't want his Master anywhere near Darth Sidious. The Force felt restless, as if something bad was about to happen. He wasn't risking his Master's life by practically inviting him into the monster's lair.

He would contact Obi-Wan only if he absolutely had to.

Anakin got out of his speeder and, after masking his Force signature as best as he could, entered the building. It was a fancy one, with great security, but it was nothing a few Jedi mind tricks couldn't deal with. Anakin had never been as good at Force suggestions as Obi-Wan, but he could do it too when needed.

He knew where Palpatine's apartment was, of course. Anakin tried not to think about how often he'd come here for friendly chats with his "friend," ranting to him about the Jedi Council, Obi-Wan, Padme, and Ahsoka--telling things he should have never told a Sith Lord. Force, just thinking about it made him a little bit sick.

What the kark was Vader doing here?

Did he want to join his Sith master again?

Anakin frowned. Even despite his intense dislike of Vader, he had trouble believing it. Vader was the Emperor in his world; why would he choose to serve Sidious again?

 _For Ben's life._ Vader might deny his attachment all he wanted, but only an idiot wouldn't see how attached to Ben he was. Vader had already proved that he was willing to join Sidious to save a loved one's life; there was no reason to think he wouldn't do it again.

Anakin got out of the elevator on Palpatine's floor and paused, stretching out his senses. He could feel Vader on this floor--and no one else. Palpatine wasn't here.

Frowning in bemusement, Anakin touched the door to Palpatine's apartment. To his surprise, it slid open. A glance at the panel confirmed his suspicions: someone had hacked into the security system of the apartment.

Laying a hand on his lightsaber, Anakin walked inside. It was a large, luxurious apartment, twice the size of Padme's. Anakin had always been a little surprised by its size: his kind, grandfatherly friend hadn't seemed like the type to enjoy such things as power and wealth. It seemed beyond laughable now in hindsight.

He found Vader in Palpatine's bedroom, studying the unlit fireplace.

"You're late," Vader said, without even looking at him.

Anakin snorted. "I didn't realize that you were expecting me. Just out of idle curiosity: what the kark are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for a Sith artifact that should be in Sidious's possession."

Anakin stared at him. This was a surprisingly harmless explanation for Vader's actions, and one he hadn't expected at all.

"Why can't you just go to your own dimension and get the artifact there, where Sidious is actually _dead_ , you know?"

Vader shot him an annoyed look. "I would if I could. But I wasn't lying about Sidious's contingency plans. This apartment was destroyed after he died, likely self-destructed. He clearly didn't want anyone to get his possessions and the priceless knowledge he'd accumulated over the years." He scowled at the fireplace. "Can you feel it?"

"Feel what?"

Vader sneered. "I don't remember being so stupid at your age. Can't you sense the Darkness emanating from the fireplace?"

Anakin glared at him, but didn't take the bait, suspecting that Vader was trying to piss him off on purpose. He walked over to the fireplace and stared at it. Now that Vader mentioned it, he could feel that there was something off about the fireplace. The Force felt strange around it.

"I can," Anakin said, studying it carefully. "But I don't see any hidden mechanisms."

"Sidious isn't an idiot to keep Sith artifacts in a place just anyone can access. It's likely opened by some manipulations of the Force."

Anakin shrugged. "He's likely the only one who can open it, then."

"Hmm. By the way, did you tell anyone where to find me?"

Anakin tensed, a warning flashing in the Force. His hands twitched toward his 'saber.

He was still too late. An invisible force squeezed his throat and bound his hands behind his back. Growling, Anakin drew on the Force, but before he could use it, Vader clicked the Force-blocking collar around his throat--and suddenly it felt like Anakin was blind and deaf.

"Nothing personal, Skywalker," Vader said, shoving him to the floor and gagging him with a scarf he levitated from Palpatine's wardrobe.

Anakin glared at him balefully, furious at himself for letting his guard down around Vader. Karking hell. Once a traitor, always a traitor.

He tried to thrash, tried to kick Vader--do something, _anything_ , but it felt as if his limbs weighed a kriffing ton. He couldn't move a finger.

"Here we go," Vader murmured, looking at the door.

It opened.

And Palpatine walked in.

Anakin's insides tightened into a knot. Beside him, Vader dropped to his knees and said, "Master."

Anakin felt sick.

Gagged, defenseless, and powerless wasn't how Anakin had imagined this meeting to go. He stared at Palpatine, who stared between him and Vader with an unreadable expression.

A part of Anakin still had trouble believing that his old friend really was a Sith Lord.

But any lingering doubts were gone when Palpatine spoke. There was no trace of kindness in his voice as he said, "Well, this is unexpected."

He walked over, coming to stand in front of Anakin's still kneeling counterpart. "Lord Vader, I presume?"

For a moment, Anakin was confused about how Palpatine could possibly know Vader's name--before realizing that Palpatine had likely already picked the Sith moniker he would call Anakin.

"Yes, Master," Vader said, his tone uncharacteristically respectful, his gaze downcast.

Palpatine took Vader's chin and tipped it up. A cold smile touched his lips as he looked into Vader's golden eyes. "I always knew you would be beautiful."

Okay, Anakin was a little creeped out.

Vader bowed his head again. "Thank you, Master."

Palpatine hummed thoughtfully. "Are you from the future? Or from another dimension?"

"From the future, my Master."

Anakin would have blinked in confusion if he could move. He pondered why Vader would be lying about it. Right; Vader could hardly tell Palpatine that he was from the dimension in which he'd already killed his Sith Master.

"I see," Palpatine said, finally glancing at Anakin. "And why is my future apprentice here? And in such...a state?"

Vader made an annoyed sound. "He somehow tracked me, Master. I think since we're both technically the same person, the Force formed some kind of link between us that Skywalker used to follow me here."

Palpatine studied Vader's face intently. "Why are _you_ here? In this time?"

"You're the one who sent me here, Master," Vader said. "You ordered me to get a certain artifact from your past self--one that was destroyed when your enemies destroyed your apartment."

Anakin wondered if the Dark Side made a person a better liar, because if he didn't know better, he'd think Vader was telling the truth. He was lying to Sidious looking him in the eye.

Palpatine didn't say anything, just stared at Vader with that unnerving, still gaze.

"If what you are saying is true, why is Kenobi still alive in your time?" Palpatine said. "I saw that...most interesting holovid."

Anakin wondered how Vader would bullshit his way out of _that_.

Vader sneered in contempt. "Kenobi is just a toy. You allowed me to keep him as my pet as long as he's blocked from the Force, as a reward for my loyal service, Master."

Sidious stared at him for a moment before saying, "What artifact my other self sent you for?"

"He said that it's a dark-red cube."

Sidious's unreadable expression didn't change. "I see. Did my future self tell you what he wants it for?"

Vader shook his head. "No, Master. You never tell me such things. It's not my place to ask."

A ghost of a smile touched Sidious's lips. "Very well." He stepped to the fireplace and laid his hand on it. Being Force-blind, Anakin couldn't feel anything, but beside him Vader shuddered slightly.

The fireplace just _disappeared_ , replaced by a door.

"Come, Lord Vader," Sidious said.

Vader frowned a little, but stood and followed Sidious into the room behind the door. Anakin could no longer see them.

Suddenly, there was a choking noise, and then there was the distinct sound of a lightsaber. A single lightsaber. Anakin strained his hearing, his heart beating faster. What was going on?

"I almost believed you, Lord Vader," Sidious said, sounding, bizarrely, _approving_. "Almost. But you made one mistake. I have spent years trying to lessen Kenobi's influence on the young Skywalker--to destroy Skywalker's pathetic attachment to him. I have arranged countless life-threatening missions for Kenobi, but that aggravating man returned every time. I have arranged countless situations that would make Skywalker doubt his Jedi Master's loyalty to him, to little avail-- _so far_. I assure you I will personally kill Kenobi the moment I can stop playing the role of a nice, harmless Chancellor. I most certainly would have never let you keep him alive, no matter how _loyal_ you were to me. While he is alive, he will always be the most dangerous person for my Empire. Even blocked from the Force, he will be too dangerous to keep alive. You cannot be my weapon if the hand that wields you is not mine."

Vader croaked something out, something that vaguely sounded like, "Go to karking hell!"

"I wonder how you killed me in your dimension..." Sidious sounded almost curious. "No matter. In this one, you will die by my hand, Darth Vader. I do not tolerate traitors."

Suddenly, the Force that kept Anakin unmoving was gone--Vader let him go. Anakin flinched from surprise, but quickly recovered and got to his feet. He tugged at his Force-blocking collar, but it didn't budge, locked. Kark! But at least he still had his lightsaber.

Taking it into his hand, Anakin crept toward the door and peeked in.

It was a big room, much bigger than Anakin had expected.

Vader was on the floor, his face slowly turning purple. Anakin wondered if Sidious was using a variation of the Force trick that Vader had used on Anakin. Sidious stood above Vader, his red lightsaber an inch above Vader's contorted in pain face. Sidious was still saying something, taunting Vader in a quiet voice.

Anakin almost rolled his eyes. Sidious could have killed Vader three times over already instead of wasting time telling him how much smarter and better he was. He thought Palpatine would be smarter than than that, but apparently even he couldn't resist indulging in some villainous gloating. It was kriffing stupid, but then again, Anakin couldn't exactly judge: sometimes he couldn't resist telling the bad guys how badly they had karked up, either. After all, how could anyone appreciate Anakin's brilliant plans unless he explained it to them?

Pushing the thought away, Anakin eyed Sidious's back. As much as he hated admitting it, he didn't stand a chance against Sidious while he was still Force-blind. His reflexes would be off. Attacking from behind was his only chance, and the collar would actually help him remain undetected.

Except it wasn't the Jedi way.

It was against everything he'd been taught, and his pride wouldn't allow it anyway: it was cowardly. In any other circumstances, Anakin would never even consider it.

 _I have arranged countless life-threatening missions for Kenobi. I assure you I will personally kill Kenobi the moment I can stop playing the role of a nice, harmless Chancellor_.

Anakin's hand tightened on his lightsaber. There was no choice, not really. If the choice was between his Jedi ethics and Obi-Wan's life, _to_ _hell his Jedi ethics._

Afterwards, Anakin wouldn't remember creeping up behind Sidious.

He wouldn't remember lifting his lightsaber.

He would remember the dull sound of Sidious's head hitting the floor before the rest of his body did a second later.

Anakin stared numbly at Palpatine's beheaded corpse, his brain still unable to comprehend what had just happened. This was... this was kind of anticlimactic.

At his feet, Vader was taking in greedy breathes, the color of his face returning to normal. "What took you so long?" he croaked out with a scowl, getting to his feet.

A sound left Anakin's throat, one that might have been a sob or a laugh. He settled on laughing, a little hysterically, but fuck, he was kriffing allowed to be a little hysterical when he'd just taken his old friend's head off.

Sneering, Vader took the collar off Anakin. He turned away to search the room, but Anakin barely noticed. His knees almost gave out as the Force rushed back into him. Force, it felt _incredible_. He couldn't imagine living years without access to the Force, like Ben did.

Anakin frowned suddenly. The Force felt...different. It no longer felt as clouded, but there was a different quality to it, too. _Danger danger danger._

"Something's wrong," Anakin said.

"I know," Vader snarled, still rummaging through the various chests and cupboards in the room. "Help me find it before the place blows up!"

"Are you karking kidding me?" Anakin growled, but he did start searching in the nearest chest. "When will it blow up?"

"I don't know for sure," Vader said, shutting the chest and moving to another. "I suspect he tied it to his Force signature. If it's absent for a while, his contingency plans will be activated. But it shouldn't be too short a time: Sidious must have taken into account that he might be put in a Force-blocking room. So it's difficult to say when this place blows up and what triggers it. There are different Dark rituals and powers you can't imagine, Skywalker."

Anakin scoffed. "Not interested."

"Really? You aren't even interested in the power that can stop death?" Vader said with a knowing smirk. "If you knew it, your mother wouldn't have died."

Anakin clenched his jaw, hating Vader for bringing it up and hating himself for being interested. "Dark Side only takes," Anakin said, repeating what Yoda had once told him. "It never gives."

Vader laughed derisively. "Please spare me the Jedi lies. The Dark Side has given me everything I have: unlimited power, wealth, and freedom to do whatever I want without a bunch of old hypocrites judging me. I have two beautiful, immensely powerful children that adore me, and I have Obi-Wan to warm my bed and take my cock. What do you have? The Jedi who don't trust you? Your sham of a marriage to Amidala, based on lies and delusions?"

"Shut up," Anakin growled out. He'd been pushing away his personal problems to the back of his mind, but of course Vader's words brought them back. Anakin glared at the Sith. "You know what I have? I have my Master's trust and love. Obi-Wan told me that I'm his _deepest attachment_. I doubt your Obi-Wan ever told you that--and now he definitely never will."

Vader stopped searching the chest for a moment, his back to Anakin. Anakin could practically taste his anger and bitterness, but Vader said nothing and resumed searching with a redoubled effort. Anakin resumed searching, too, ignoring the strained silence and the agitated state of the Force.

"Here it is."

Anakin looked back at Vader. The Sith was holding a red cube in his hands, looking at it with a disturbingly happy smile.

"Let's go, then," Anakin said, eager to leave.

Vader shook his head, walking to Palpatine's corpse. "If I were you, I'd find proof that Palpatine was a traitor--that you didn't just murder the Supreme Chancellor for no reason. Try searching his office before this place gets destroyed."

Anakin narrowed his eyes suspiciously when Vader pulled out a syringe and then connected it to the red cube in his hands. Anakin winced in disgust when Vader plunged the syringe into Palpatine's heart. "What are you doing?"

"Taking his midi-chlorians," Vader said. "They should be still alive. They can survive longer without access to the Force even if the person dies. This artifact can keep them alive indefinitely."

"You want to do a blood transfusion to Ben?" Anakin said, his forehead wrinkling.

"A simple blood transfusion won't help," Vader said, watching as the cube filled with Palpatine's blood. "We already tried it. Other people's midi-chlorians don't survive long, even ones taken from another Kenobi."

"What?" Anakin said, his mouth falling open. "Ours isn't the first dimension you traveled to?"

Vader's lips twisted. "No. We were in one other dimension before this one."

Anakin eyed Vader's hunched shoulders. "What happened in that world?"

Vader chuckled. "It was a dimension in which Obi-Wan defeated me on Mustafar instead of leaving. Obi-Wan injured me so badly that I became some kind of half-droid, trapped in a metal suit. Apparently I couldn't even breathe without assistance. I became the Emperor's fist."

Anakin tried to imagine living in a metal suit for years and had to suppress a shudder. "What about Obi-Wan?"

"We found him on Tatooine. He was living like a hermit, known as the crazy, old Ben--" Vader's voice became tight. "He was a broken man. There was no fight left in him. He couldn't even bring himself to join the Resistance. He--"

"What?" Anakin said when Vader cut himself off.

"The way he _stared_ at me..." Vader said.

He didn't say anything else, but Anakin could make a guess. It was probably incredibly difficult for the other Ben to see a suitless, healthy Anakin--to see what might have been if he didn't maim Vader on Mustafar.

"He still donated his blood for Ben?"

Vader gave a clipped nod.

"But it didn't work?"

Vader rose to his feet, tucking the cube into the inner pocket of his dark robes. "It didn't," he said shortly, walking out of the room. Anakin followed him out of the bedroom and pushed past him into Palpatine's office.

Proof.

Vader was right: he needed proof.

Anakin opened the drawer and grimaced upon seeing the amount of paperwork. He started rummaging through it frantically, not sure what he was looking for but trusting the Force to guide him and warn him if this place was about to be blown up.

To his surprise, Vader followed him inside the office, looking around.

"Why didn't it work?" Anakin said distractedly.

Vader's jaw tightened. " _It should have_ , but there's a lot we don't know about midi-chlorians. It seems they can actually see the difference between different versions of one person. Not only the blood transfusion didn't help, but it also made the other Kenobi weaker in the Force. Apparently midi-chlorians do not replenish with blood." Vader grimaced. "I should have expected it. Midi-chlorians are microscopic, intelligent life forms, not the red blood cells--they can't just replenish if you take some of them away."

Anakin frowned, opening another drawer. "If it were true, why don't we become weaker in the Force every time we get wounded?"

"We do, actually, but it's negligible. The concentration of midi-chlorians is the highest around a person's heart. Unless you get a wound to the heart, your midi-chlorian count will remain about the same." Vader's lips twisted. "Not that you and I will notice the difference. But people who have fewer midi-chlorians definitely do."

"Like Obi-Wan," Anakin said, frowning deeply as he thought about that other Obi-Wan. His throat closed up as he imagined a weakened Obi-Wan living like a hermit on Tatooine, all alone. "Is he going to be okay? The other Ben?"

Vader's jaw clenched. "I suspect he will age faster than he should too, though he still has more than a half of his original midi-chlorian count. He's still Force-sensitive, but he'll likely have the lifespan of a non-Force-sensitive human."

"Your Ben must feel guilty as hell about it," Anakin said.

Vader grimaced. "He flat-out refused to travel to another dimension after that. I had to force him to come here, and he stopped fighting me only after I promised him not to use another Jedi again."

Anakin looked up from the drawer. "Promised? I thought the great Emperor of the Galactic Empire could just order people do anything he wanted?"

Vader glowered at him. "Shut your mouth, Skywalker."

Anakin snorted, finding it amusing that Vader still kept denying his attachment to Ben. Before he could say anything, the Force nudged him toward a datachip at the back of the drawer. Anakin grabbed it and put it into his pocket, sending a silent thank you to the Force.

"So what are you going to do with Palpatine's blood? If a blood transfusion doesn't help?"

When Vader didn't reply, Anakin lifted his head and saw him examining the holotransmitter.

"What?" Anakin said, feeling Vader's unease in the Force.

"It recently sent a transmission," Vader said. He pushed a button to replay the last transmission.

It was a pre-recorded message.

A holo of Palpatine appeared. _"This is the Supreme Chancellor. The Jedi betrayed the Republic. Execute Order 66."_

Anakin's insides went cold. He hadn't really taken it seriously when Vader told the Council that just killing Palpatine wouldn't be enough to prevent the massacre of the Jedi Order.

"How?" he managed.

Vader's lips thinned. "Palpatine must have sent it remotely while we talked--when he started suspecting that I was playing him. If he started suspecting that the Jedi now knew about him being Sidious, he obviously couldn't waste any time."

"Who is the recipient of the message?" Anakin said.

"Everyone." 

Anakin's stomach dropped. _Obi-Wan_. Temple. Temple would be the main target. There were currently just six or seven Jedi Masters at the Temple. Force, _Obi-Wan_. And Ahsoka, his fifteen-year-old, bright-eyed padawan. Karking hell.

Vader met his gaze, his expression grim. "Let's go. We need to get to the Temple before the army."

Anakin strode after him, a harsh laugh tearing out of his throat. "And what, you're going to defend the Jedi Temple? You, a Sith Lord who slaughtered Jedi _younglings_ in your dimension? You expect me to believe you?"

Vader's jaw clenched. "Obi-Wan is in the Temple," he bit off. "The clones aren't going to give a damn that he isn't your Obi-Wan. Unlike yours, mine isn't Force-sensitive and he hasn't held a 'saber in almost four years. I don't give a kark about the Jedi, but I assure you I'll _slaughter_ my way through the clone army to get to him."


	13. Chapter 13

* * *

"Skyguy is going to be fine, Master."

Obi-Wan looked away from his comlink, discomforted that he was being so obvious--and he must be if even a teenager could read him. "I know, young one," he said, not quite managing to release his unease into the Force.

The Force still felt turbulent--even more so than when Anakin had left. Obi-Wan glanced back at his comlink, suppressing the urge to comm Anakin again.

"Is Master still not answering his comlink?" Ahsoka said.

"I'm sure Anakin just put it on silent." Obi-Wan changed the subject. "Is there news from Kix?"

Ahsoka nodded. "He says he already feels good enough to help the other medics. Rex and Cody are recovering well, too."

Some of the tension bled out of Obi-Wan's shoulders. "Tell Kix to keep us informed, Ahsoka." He frowned a little. Although he was relieved that Kix and the captains had their chips removed, the procedure still took time--time they might not have. There were millions of clones but just a few medics qualified and trustworthy enough to remove Sidious's chips. As a precaution, all clones had been ordered to leave the Temple's grounds. Jedi generals had been warned about the potential danger the clones represented, and all Jedi had been ordered to finish their missions and return to the Temple as soon as possible.

Obi-Wan could only hope that these precautions would be enough--that they would turn out to have been unnecessary.

"Master?"

Obi-Wan looked at Ahsoka. "Yes, Padawan?"

The teenager seemed to hesitate. "Is everything okay? When I saw Master a few hours ago, he seemed...off. Like, not in a bad way, just off. Did something happen?"

Obi-Wan wondered how he could possibly summarise what had happened.

  
_In the span of a single day, your Master admitted to me that he had slaughtered an entire village, learned that his old friend is a Sith Lord, told me that he is married, told me that I'm his deepest attachment, told me that he is in love with Senator Amidala, gave me a hickey, spoke to Senator Amidala about a divorce, nearly kissed me in public, and then went chasing after a Sith Anakin who is in an intimate relationship with my counterpart. Other than that, no, nothing noteworthy happened, Ahsoka._

Obi-Wan had to suppress the inappropriate urge to laugh.

"You'll have to ask your Master, Padawan," Obi-Wan said.

Ahsoka pursed her lips. "But you're practically my Master, too! Master always says that if I'm confused about something and he isn't around, I should go to you--that you're much better at explaining stuff than he'll ever be anyway."

Obi-Wan felt a little warm on the inside. "That's surprising, considering that he never seemed to listen to me when he was a padawan."

Ahsoka's lips twitched. "He must be getting wiser with age. Still. My point stands, Master."

"Ahsoka," Obi-Wan said gently. "You know you are as dear to me as if you were my padawan--

"Right."

Startled, Obi-Wan looked at Ahsoka and found her smiling wryly.

"And what is that supposed to mean, Padawan?" Obi-Wan said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Ahsoka chuckled. " _Please_ , Master. No one is as dear to you as your real padawan. I know Skyguy likes to think that I'm your joint padawan, but if you actually loved me as much as him I would be afraid for my life."

"That's an exaggeration," Obi-Wan said, his face warming.

"Sure, but not a big one. Skyguy is ridiculously possessive of your attention, Master."

Obi-Wan wanted to deny it, but he could hardly do it when he could still feel Anakin's mouth on his neck, biting aggressively, could hear Anakin's voice saying, _"You can't take another padawan. You're **my** Master. Mine."_

Obi-Wan moistened his lips with his tongue. "Your Master cares for you. And so do I. But it would be better if Anakin is the one you ask. I understand that you're confused, but I don't have the answers, Ahsoka."

_I'm as confused as you are._

"But Master--"

Their comlinks chimed at the same time. Frowning, Obi-Wan looked at his. His frown deepened when he saw that the transmission was sent through a high priority channel that was supposed to be used by the government of the Republic only in great emergencies.

He opened the message.

When he saw Palpatine, Obi-Wan's insides went cold with dread. His fears were proven correct when the Chancellor declared the Jedi traitors and activated the Order 66.

Force.

"Why is he calling us traitors?" Ahsoka said, touching his arm. "What is Order 66, Master?"

"It's an order to kill us," Obi-Wan said, closing his eyes for a moment as he felt the growing panic and confusion in the Temple--padawans didn't understand what was going on. "We need to--"

His comlink went off again. This time it was Mace, his expression grim. "Obi-Wan, gather senior padawans and come to the Temple's main entrance."

"What about the younglings?"

"The Crèche Master is taking them into the dungeons. They should have time to reach them."

Obi-Wan frowned. "Wouldn't evacuating be safer?"

Mace's lips twisted. "There's no safe place for us in the Republic right now. And if we run, we'll look guilty. We can't leave."

Obi-Wan nodded, his stomach a tight knot of anxiety as he ended the transmission.

"Let's go, Ahsoka."

 

***

 

Six Jedi Masters, three young Knights, and twelve padawans. That was all they had to defend the Temple from a multi-million clone army.

Obi-Wan looked away from the padawans' anxious faces, from their hands gripping their lightsabers. Force, they were so young.

"At least we had a warning," Mace said, looking around their small group. "Frankly, I'm surprised Palpatine issued the order through such a public channel."

"I'm not," said a quiet voice.

Obi-Wan looked at his counterpart. Ben was eyeing strangely the spare lightsaber that Master Yoda had given him. "The Chancellor is smart," Ben said. "It wouldn't matter that the Jedi generals would hear the message too if a second later they get attacked by thousands of clones in the vicinity. The important part is, such a message would discredit the Jedi in the eyes of the whole Republic, so that the Jedi will have no one to turn to for help. By the time someone would dare question the Supreme Chancellor's orders, it will be too late."

Mace glared at him, shooting a meaningful look torward the padawans, who looked even more scared now.

As if on cue, there was a shift in the Force that made Obi-Wan shudder.

"Died, a powerful Force user," Yoda said, frowning deeply.

His heart pounding, Obi-Wan reached to the back of his mind, to the Bond, and breathed out. It was still there, unharmed. Anakin was still alive.

"Changing, the Force is," Yoda said, his eyes closed "Clearer it is, not as clouded."

"Do you think it's Palpatine, Master?" Obi-Wan said.

Before Yoda could reply, Obi-Wan's comlink chimed.

"They are coming, Master," Ahsoka said, her voice wavering. "The clones. I can see them."

"How many?" Obi-Wan said.

"I don't--I don't know. Thousands."

"Good job, Padawan," Obi-Wan said in his calmest voice. "Now get down here."

Putting his comlink into his pocket, Obi-Wan said, "The clones are coming." He didn't tell the clones' numbers, not wanting to make the padawans feel even more discouraged.

His chest constricted as he looked at their young, brave faces. They were too young to die. He was going to protect them with his life, but would that be enough? The odds weren't good, putting it mildly.

His expression grim, Mace said, "Lightsabers out. Deflect blaster shots back at them."

A thirteen-year-old Padawan Yono said quietly, "Do we aim to kill them, Master?"

"Preferably no, but if you have to, don't feel bad about it, Padawan," Mace said. "Remember, we're the only ones standing between the army and our younglings."

Yono nodded tightly, his shoulders squaring as he ignited his lightsaber.

They all did, watching the double doors.

Obi-Wan was grateful that this position was at least somewhat defendable. If they didn't allow the clones make it through the doorway, they had a small chance.

"Is Master Skywalker not here?" a shy voice said suddenly.

Obi-Wan looked at the twi'lek girl who gazed at him hopefully. She wasn't the only one: other padawans looked hopeful, too.

Oh.

Until now, Obi-Wan hadn't realized how big Anakin's reputation as Hero with No Fear had become. He had thought only civilians called him that, but it seemed even their padawans believed the tales of Anakin's prowess and fearlessness on the battlefield. They _looked up_ to him. They might respect Master Yoda and Master Windu, but they probably thought of them as old and boring, while Anakin was the hero they wanted to be like.

Obi-Wan smiled wistfully at the girl, feeling a rush of pride that his former padawan had become a Jedi who inspired younger generations. "He'll be here shortly," Obi-Wan said, hoping he was telling the truth--and at the same time selfishly hoping that Anakin would stay as far from the Temple as he could.

Just then, there was the sound of hundreds of footsteps, and Obi-Wan turned back toward the entrance and lifted his lightsaber.

After that, it was a blur of screams, blaster shots, and blood.

At first, they deflected blaster shot after blaster shot in what seemed to be a never ending storm of continuing fire, not allowing the clones inside the Temple at all. Seeing this gave Obi-Wan a small pinch of hope that they might actually make it out alive, but then the clones seemed to realize that they were playing into the Jedi's hands by shooting at them and providing them opportunity to deflect their shots back. So they changed the tactic and just rushed inside the Temple, forcing the Jedi to break their ranks.

Soon, they were _swarmed_.

Obi-Wan had never fought so hard in his life. He was fighting over a dozen clones at the same time, all the while trying to protect the wounded Padawan Yono beside him. Obi-Wan was vaguely aware that he was bleeding too, but he barely noticed it, deflecting a shot after shot and taking off the clones' limbs. He couldn't bring himself to kill, knowing that it wasn't the clones' fault. Unfortunately, the clones didn't have the same reservations.

Desperation clogged up Obi-Wan's throat as in his peripheral vision, Ki-Adi-Mundi fell to the floor and didn't move again. A few feet away, Ben's lightsaber was slowing too, exhaustion etched over his features as he tried to hold back another wave of clones. Obi-Wan couldn't even see Yoda anymore.

They were going to lose, Obi-Wan realized with a sinking feeling. They all would die here.

_Rage-fear-rage-concern-fierce protectiveness-rage._

Obi-Wan almost staggered from the onslaught of emotions that filled his mind as the bond at the back of his mind flared to life. Anakin. Anakin had finally arrived--and Anakin was _furious_.

Dodging a blaster shot, Obi-Wan glanced toward the entrance, but it was impossible to see anything through the legion of clones. Even if Anakin was finally here, he had no hope reaching them.

Suddenly, the hairs at the back of Obi-Wan's neck stood up. The Force around them became charged with electricity and power, and the next moment, an enormous lightning bolt hit the clones, and then another and another, until the screams and the nauseating smell of burnt flesh filled the room. At least a third of the legion was now destroyed. The surviving clones stopped their attack on the Jedi and turned toward the new threat.

There, at the Temple's entrance, stood two figures in dark robes.

From a distance, Obi-Wan couldn't even tell them apart: they both radiated so much rage, it was hard to separate them. But then they ignited their lightsabers, blue and red--

And there were only screams.

Unlike Obi-Wan, neither Anakin nor Vader seemed to have any reservations about killing the clones. _Slaughtering_ would be the correct word, Obi-Wan thought faintly as he tore his gaze away and returned to fighting for his life.

Their task was significantly easier now, considering that the remaining clones seemed to be having trouble fighting on two fronts. Anakin's and Vader's 'sabers were a blur of red and blue as each of them killed dozens of clones in a minute. Their lightsabers' ruthless dance would have looked beautiful if it weren't so terrifying. The clones stood no chance.

A panting Mace Windu stopped next to Obi-Wan, his gaze on the two Anakins. "Sith's hell," he whispered before shaking off his horrified awe and resuming fighting.

At least the padawans seemed to perk up at Anakin and Vader's arrival, fighting with renewed vigor. Obi-Wan tried not to be disturbed as the twi'lek padawan causally cut the nearest clone in half before turning and beheading another.

They _were_ fighting for their lives, Obi-Wan reminded himself and turned to check on Ahsoka.

His moment of distraction would prove to be costly.

Obi-Wan felt a blaster shot hit him in the stomach, and then there was only pain.

Distantly, he felt himself fall. Distantly, he heard an inhuman sound that reverberated in his mind. Then there was a white shock of Force explosion, and everything went black.

 

 

* * *

 

 

When Obi-Wan opened his eyes, he was lying in a bed in the Halls of Healing.

Ahsoka was sitting next to him.

"Master!" she said, beaming at him. "You're awake!"

Obi-Wan looked around. "What happened?"

"You didn't wake up for three days! That's what happened! I was so worried!"

Obi-Wan shook his head. "Ahsoka, what about the battle? The clones?" _Where's Anakin?_

"Oh." Ahsoka's shoulders hunched. "Well, we won. Obviously. Or we wouldn't be here." She wouldn't meet Obi-Wan's eyes. "Senator Organa assumed the temporary position of the Chancellor and cancelled Palpatine's orders while Palpatine's death and actions are being investigated."

Obi-Wan wanted to be relieved. But he could tell that Ahsoka was trying to hide something from him. "Just tell me the bad news, Padawan."

Ahsoka winced. "Well. Skyguy kind of lost his cool when you were shot?"

Obi-Wan was dreading to ask, but he still did. "In what way?"

"He basically Force-shoved all the remaining clones into the walls. They all died from crushed skulls or broken spines."

Obi-Wan ran a hand over his face. _Force, Anakin_. "I see. Where's Anakin now?"

Ahsoka pursed her lips unhappily. "He's... he was detained. Apparently he killed Palpatine. Everyone is confused. At least Skyguy had the foresight to get a datachip that confirmed that Palpatine was financially supporting the Separatists, so there's that--"

"Wait," Obi-Wan said, sitting up. There was a faint twinge of pain in his abdomen, but he felt well enough. Judging by the characteristic smell of bacta, he'd spent the past three days in a bacta tank. "If we have proof that Palpatine was the traitor, why is Anakin still detained?"

Ahsoka averted her gaze.

Dread filled Obi-Wan's chest. "Padawan?"

"He's..." Ahsoka chewed on her lip before standing up. "Do you feel well enough to walk?"

"Yes," Obi-Wan said, getting out of the bed. He felt a little weak, but nothing he couldn't power through. He quickly dressed in the clothes Ahsoka gave him before following her out of the medical wing.

It was night, Obi-Wan realized. The Temple's halls were quiet.

Too quiet.

Obi-Wan swallowed. "Ahsoka, how many Jedi did we lose?"

Ahsoka's steps faltered slightly. "Here? Master Mundi, Master Fisto, Padawan Deyk, Padawan Yono, and Padawan Terix. Others were wounded, but they recovered before you."

Force.

Obi-Wan let his grief wash over him before releasing it into the Force. There would be time to grieve later. "What about the losses outside the Temple?"

Ahsoka bit her lip. "We're still getting transmissions from the survivors. So far, sixty-three percent of the Jedi reported that they were alive. Many are wounded, but they're getting treatment."

Obi-Wan's jaw clenched. His heart was heavy, but sixty-three percent was still much better than he had expected. "It seemed Vader's warning helped. They weren't caught off-guard."

Ahsoka nodded.

"Speaking of Vader, where's he?" Obi-Wan said. "Was he detained, too?"

Ahsoka frowned. "We don't know where he is. In the chaos, he grabbed the other Obi-Wan and left. We aren't even sure if they already returned to their dimension. We could hardly allocate resources to search for them."

Obi-Wan nodded thoughtfully. It seemed someone had explained their counterparts' existence to Ahsoka while he was unconscious.

"He's here," Ahsoka said, suddenly coming to a halt.

Obi-Wan stopped and looked around. He frowned as he recognized where they were. This was the reinforced room that they'd created in case they managed to capture a Sith: it wasn't a Force-blocking room per se, but the walls were resistant to the Force, preventing its occupant from using the Force to damage it and muting their abilities. It explained why he couldn't sense Anakin through their bond.

It didn't explain what Anakin was doing in this room.

"Why is Anakin in this room, Ahsoka?" Obi-Wan said.

Ahsoka winced and didn't say anything.

His heart pounding, Obi-Wan walked to the small observation window.

Anakin was pacing the room, his body language radiating tension and rage. When he turned, the light caught in his eyes, and Obi-Wan froze.

Anakin's eyes kept flickering from blue to a sickening yellow.

"No," Obi-Wan whispered.

Ahsoka touched his shoulder. "Master hasn't Fallen completely yet," she said, her voice wavering as she leaned into Obi-Wan's side. "But...but Master Windu says his Fall is just a matter of time after Anakin used his anger to draw power from the Dark side of the Force to kill all those clones. Master Yoda agrees with Master Windu. He says he's surprised that Master hasn't Fallen completely yet." Ahsoka sighed. "I even convinced Master Yoda to let me talk to Master, but Skyguy is--he's completely unreasonable. He _scared_ me, Master. I could barely recognize him."

Obi-Wan shook his head and hugged her briefly before gently pushing her away and stepping toward the door. "Go get some rest, Ahsoka. I'll talk to Anakin."

"You can't open the door," Ahsoka said. "Only the Council members can--" She made a face, realizing her mistake.

Obi-Wan smiled at her faintly. "It's a good thing I'm a Council member, then," he said, letting the scanner scan his eye.

The door clicked open.

Obi-Wan entered the room--and was immediately slammed back against it as a heavy body pinned him with a growl.

Obi-Wan held himself still. He relaxed his body, trying to seem as unaggressive and submissive as possible. He refused to treat Anakin like a dangerous darksider. He refused to fight him. If there was even a tiny chance that Anakin could be brought back to the Light, he was going to try. Or die trying.


	14. Chapter 14

* * *

 

"Master?"

The punishing grip on him loosened slightly.

Anakin pulled back a little and stared at him with glassy eyes--eyes that seemed intoxicated, a hint of insanity lurking in their depths.

Obi-Wan tried not to betray his horror. Now that they were not separated by the Force-resistant walls, he could feel Anakin in the Force again, and Anakin didn't seem like himself at all, his Force signature so _drenched_ in darkness it was barely recognizable, his aura vibrating with anger and paranoia. Even Vader hadn't felt so unstable in the Force. Obi-Wan had heard stories of this, of the Dark side being too overwhelming at first, like a powerful drug that made a newly converted person barely aware of their actions.

He could only hope he wasn't too late. Judging by how distorted and muted their Force bond was, Obi-Wan started fearing the worst.

"Master?" Anakin said again, in something like wonder, before breaking into a wide, half-crazed smile. "You're alive! They said that you were, but I thought they were lying to me. I couldn't feel you through the bond."

_Yes, because you're too lost in darkness to feel a light, pure bond._

Obi-Wan lifted his hand and cupped Anakin's cheek, trying not cringe as he met the mostly yellow eyes. "Anakin," he whispered. "You shouldn't have done it."

Anakin leaned into his touch like a cat--like a big, dangerous cat. "Done what, Obi-Wan?" he said. "Saved your life? If I didn't kill all those clones, you wouldn't have gotten medical attention in time. You would have _died_ , Master."

Obi-Wan shook his head, looking at him sadly. "You know I'd prefer death to being the reason for your Fall."

Anakin glared at him. "Don't say that," he bit off, pressing their foreheads together. "I'd rather Fall ten times over than lose you, Master. Are you really all right? That wound looked nasty." He slipped a hand under Obi-Wan's tunic, feeling up his stomach.

Obi-Wan breathed shakily, his stomach quivering at the feel of Anakin's calloused hand on his newly healed, sensitive skin. To his shame, his body was reacting very predictably to Anakin's touch, and this time Anakin was unlikely to be oblivious to it, considering that they were pressed flush against each other.

"Master," Anakin said hoarsely, his eyes like golden fire, his breath warm on Obi-Wan's lips. The hand caressing his stomach moved lower, sliding slightly under the waistband of Obi-Wan's pants.

"Don't," Obi-Wan managed, his eyes slipping shut. He thought about Ahsoka--she didn't need to witness this--but thankfully, even if she hadn't left, they couldn't be seen from the observation window while they were pressed against the door.

He still should push Anakin away.

He should.

"Why not?" Anakin said, their lips almost touching. "I know you want this, too, Master."

_Not like this._

"You're a married man, Anakin," Obi-Wan whispered, his mouth dry. "And you're my padawan."

"None of those things are true anymore. Padme already sent her lawyer--a droid, at the Council's insistence." Anakin chuckled bitterly. "Apparently I'm too dangerous to be around real people. Never mind that I _saved_ them all. They should be _groveling_ at my feet instead of locking me up! It's not like Windu hasn't killed dozens of clones, either. Maybe Palpatine was right, after all. The Jedi Order is a bunch of arrogant, ungrateful hypocrites. Maybe it deserved to be destroyed."

Obi-Wan pushed Anakin back a little so that he could look him in the face.

"You did save all of us, Anakin," Obi-Wan said. "But you lost yourself along the way. Come back. Please." He looked into Anakin's mostly yellow eyes. "This is not you."

Anakin's lips twisted into something ugly. "Maybe this _is_ me, Obi-Wan. You seem to be the only one who still thinks I'm worth anything. Padme thinks I just used her and changed her into someone she didn't want to be. Even Snips stares at me like I'm some kind of monster. Your precious Jedi Council already declared me a hopeless case. I swear Windu has the smuggest I-told-you-so face in the galaxy. I'm fucking tempted not to Fall, just to prove him wrong."

"Then don't," Obi-Wan croaked out, cupping Anakin's cheek. "Don't Fall. Come back to the Light. Reject the Dark side. You can do it, Anakin."

Anakin let out a laugh. "Why? What for? I don't really believe what the Jedi preach anymore. Can't you see it, Master? _Attachment_ , the one thing they are so afraid of, is probably the only thing still keeping me from Falling completely--my attachment to you. The Jedi are short-sighted, self-important fools who refuse to see how karking misguided their teachings are."

"I'm a Jedi, too, Anakin," Obi-Wan said softly, his stomach twisting into knots as he realized the extent of Anakin's disillusionment with the Order. Yes, Anakin was too consumed by the power of the Dark side to be completely rational, but this disillusionment went deeper than that. "Do you think so little of me, too?"

Anakin just looked at him for a moment. "I think they brainwashed you since you were an infant. They tried to kill the good in you, tried to destroy your ability to feel, your ability to love. You know I'm right, Master. Until Vader and Ben's arrival, you never even told me that you're attached to me, much less that I'm your deepest attachment, because you were brainwashed into thinking that it was wrong to love someone."

"Anakin--"

"No, let me finish, Obi-Wan," Anakin said, squeezing his shoulder. "If Vader and Ben didn't appear in this timeline and didn't change it, you would never tell me that you care for me. In that world, I would suppress everything I feel for you and convince myself that Padme is the only person who loves me, the only person who cares, that I should save her by any means. I would turn into Vader." Anakin smiled ruefully. "If Ben just told his Anakin that he cared for him, that he loved him, instead of hiding behind the Jedi Code, Vader would have never been born. So the Jedi really have only themselves to blame for their downfall in the original timeline."

Obi-Wan frowned. He didn't want to admit it, but Anakin's words actually made sense. Except... "I told you that you are my deepest attachment, and yet you're still Falling. In fact, your attachment to me became the reason for your Fall this time."

"The Council's narrow-mindedness is the reason, not you," Anakin growled out, his hands squeezing Obi-Wan's shoulders. "This was just the last push. I'm kriffing fed up with them, Master. They treated me with suspicion and distrust for years, no matter what I did, practically creating a self-fulfilling prophecy, and now they're being all smug about being right! They took away my mother, they took away my wife, and they will take you away from me too when they find out how karking attached I am to you. I _won't let them_ , not this time!"

Obi-Wan swallowed, looking into Anakin's furious golden eyes. There was only a faint trace of blue in them now. It seemed he'd only managed to make things worse since coming here. Force, he didn't know what to do.

"You might be right about the Jedi," Obi-Wan said with a sigh. "We have lost our way. Master Yoda is having doubts, too. He publicly said that the Jedi might be wrong, that the Order might need to change."

Anakin stared at him, his brows furrowing. "He did?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "The Council knows that I am...attached to you, and yet they didn't even reprimand me for it. Master Yoda said that not all attachments are equally dangerous. The Council _can_ change, Anakin. They're willing to."

Anakin sneered. "Are you saying that they'll be all right with this?" He looked down at Obi-Wan's mouth before looking back into his eyes. "They'll never be all right with this."

Obi-Wan licked his dry lips. "I don't understand what you mean, Padawan," he said, his face a little warm.

"You know exactly what I mean, _Master_ ," Anakin said, leaning in with his metal hand pressed against the wall behind Obi-Wan's head. "I'm speaking about the fact that the Council will lose their collective shit if they find out that I want to be _attached_ to you in the most primitive sense of the word."

Obi-Wan took in a shaky breath. "Anakin--"

"Don't tell me you're surprised, Master," Anakin whispered harshly, their breaths mixing. "Or did you think Vader just woke up one day as a Sith and decided that he'd like to fuck his Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan's stomach clenched, heat pulling to his groin.

"The Dark side is confusing you, Anakin," he managed, turning his head so Anakin's lips landed on his cheek. "Just a few days ago, you told me how much you loved Senator Amidala. You're not yourself."

Anakin gave a chuckle, his parted lips dragging along Obi-Wan's jawline reverently, greedily. "I told you, Master: I wanted you long before I even met Padme again. Kark, I wanted to fuck you ever since I figured out what my cock was for. I wanked all the time, imagining you sucking my cock, imagining sucking yours." His mouth traveled down Obi-Wan's neck as Obi-Wan's eyes slipped shut. Anakin left a trail of hickeys on his throat. "I imagined what you would feel like under me, all naked, pale and perfect, coming apart on my cock, on my tongue--"

A moan slipped out of Obi-Wan's mouth.

Anakin bit his earlobe. "Would you like that, Master?"

The contrast between the lewdness of Anakin's words and the respectful 'Master' was more arousing than it had any right to be.

Before Obi-Wan could say anything, Anakin dropped to his knees and jerked his fly open.

"Anakin--" Obi-Wan's words turned into a long moan as Anakin _swallowed_ his throbbing cock.

Force.

Obi-Wan stared at him, his wide eyes becoming unfocused as Anakin's hot, wet mouth engulfed his erection. Anakin clearly lacked experience with men, but he made up for it with his confidence and enthusiasm. Force, the way he _looked_ with Obi-Wan's cock in his mouth, bobbing his head up and down, his eyes glazed with desire... the sight alone was as arousing as the act itself.

Anakin suddenly pulled off his cock and forced Obi-Wan to turn around. Obi-Wan didn't even realize what was happening until Anakin pulled his pants down. "Anakin," he whispered, flushing. "Don't--"

Anakin spread his cheeks and gave his hole a long lick.

A wanton whine escaped Obi-Wan's lips. "Anakin--"

Holding his cheeks open, Anakin delved in, pushing his tongue in and out, filthy and confident. Embarrassed, Obi-Wan instinctively tried to move away from Anakin's mouth, his _tongue_ , but Anakin held him securely in place. Force. Obi-Wan's legs felt weak, threatening to give out as every nerve in his body seemed to focus on the sensation of Anakin doing the most unspeakable things to his hole. Obi-Wan wasn't prudish. He had enjoyed sex very much, but no one had ever done this to him. This was so filthy. Obscene. But it felt so, so good. This act Anakin clearly had experience with and it showed. Soon, Obi-Wan lost all ability to form coherent thoughts, reduced to a moaning, shameless creature pushing back onto Anakin's talented tongue, wanting it deeper, wanting more. Force, it felt so good, his hole twitching against Anakin's mouth, needy and oversensitive.

Obi-Wan had no idea how long it lasted. His whole world seemed to narrow down to Anakin's tongue and the incredible pleasure it was giving him, to Anakin's hands kneading his buttocks before stroking Obi-Wan's leaking cock in time with the deep thrusts of his tongue. Obi-Wan knew he was making noises, guttural, inhuman noises, saying something, possibly begging, but he could barely hear them over the rush of blood in his ears. 

Before he knew it, he was crying out and coming into Anakin's hand, his vision going white.

Obi-Wan sagged against the door, feeling boneless and spent. Karking hell.

Vaguely, he could feel Anakin kissing and biting his nape as he ground his erection against Obi-Wan's ass until Obi-Wan felt him shudder and spill all over his buttocks before collapsing against his back, his weight heavy but comforting.

They stayed like that for a long while.

Finally, Obi-Wan forced himself to open his eyes and face the reality of the situation.

He felt... ashamed. Instead of bringing his padawan back to the Light, he'd just had sex with him, probably making everything worse.

Sighing, Obi-Wan pulled his pants up, wincing a little at the sticky mess on his buttocks but resolved to ignore it for the time being.

"Master?"

Obi-Wan took a deep breath and turned around. His heart skipped a beat when he saw a smile on Anakin's face. His eyes were still more yellow than blue, but there was something lighter about him, the darkness in his aura no longer so oppressive. He no longer seemed as agitated and tense.

Obi-Wan relaxed a little, too. At least it didn't seem as though the sex had made things worse. "We shouldn't have done it," he said softly. "Not here. I'm not even sure Ahsoka has left." Although Anakin's padawan couldn't see them from that angle anyway, it still made Obi-Wan beyond uncomfortable that she might have been on the other side of the wall while Anakin had his tongue inside him.

Obi-Wan felt himself flush at the thought.

Anakin shrugged, not looking very concerned as he walked to the sink and cleaned up. "It doesn't matter," he said, wiping his face with a towel. "Snips will find out soon enough about us anyway."

Obi-Wan stared at him, his heart beating faster. "Us?" he said. "I don't recall agreeing to be a part of _us_."

Anakin laughed, running a hand through his hair. "I'm still terrible at this, aren't I?" he said, his eyes flashing with amusement. "At least I'm not telling you that you've grown beautiful--for a Jedi."

Obi-Wan snorted, remembering what a disaster Anakin had been with Senator Amidala.

Anakin's eyes turned serious. They were now more blue than yellow, Obi-Wan noted. It gave him hope. 

Anakin walked back to him and leaned in. "Master," he said, pressing their foreheads together again. "You know I'm not good at words, not like you. But you have to know how much you mean to me." He cradled Obi-Wan's face. "I feel more anchored when you're close. When I know you're all right. When I can touch you. When I know you care for me, too." He inhaled unsteadily. "There's so much _anger_ in me, Obi-Wan. But just being close to you soothes it; I feel like I can actually think instead of raging at everything." His lips twisted into a crooked smile. "Padme...she was right about one thing: you're the only person who brings out the best in me. Her love couldn't keep me from Falling in the other dimension. Her love couldn't stop me from destroying her. But you--you're the only thing preventing me from Falling. You're my light, Master."

Obi-Wan licked his lips, his face warm. "Ben couldn't stop Vader from Falling."

"Ben has never even told his Anakin how much he cared for him," Anakin said, shaking his head. "That would have made an enormous difference. I know it would have, because it did, for me. Yes, I used my anger to kill those clones and save you, but even when the Dark side tried to consume me, I knew that you cared for me, that I would let you down --and that was enough to stop me from Falling completely. I almost Fell, I know, but now that I'm with you, I don't think I'm still Falling. You keep me anchored. I need you, Master."

"I'll be there for you as long as you need me, dear one," Obi-Wan whispered and watched with a great deal of relief as most of the darkness retreated from Anakin's aura, his blue eyes holding only a shade of yellow. "But I admit I'm... rather confused. Tell me what exactly you want, Anakin."

Anakin took Obi-Wan's hand and laced their fingers. He looked at Obi-Wan steadily. "I'm not hiding this, Obi-Wan. I'm done pretending to be something I'm not, done hiding how fucking attached I am." Anakin lifted his metal hand and cupped Obi-Wan's cheek with it gently. "Vader was right about one thing: my relationship with Padme turned into a sham of a marriage, with both of us lying and twisting ourselves in order to hide it. I'm not doing it to us, Master. I won't allow them to break us too, break what we have."

Obi-Wan swallowed. "You want to tell the Council that we're... in a relationship." It was a statement, not a question. "And if they don't accept it?"

Anakin squeezed his hand and smiled grimly. "We'll walk away."

Obi-Wan stared at him.

What Anakin was suggesting was...pure madness. He couldn't imagine a world where the Council would respond well to such an ultimatum. The Council usually turned a blind eye to casual relationships between Knights as long as they were discreet about it and didn't get attached. _Flaunting_ a serious relationship between a Jedi Master and his former padawan was unthinkable. They would be expelled from the Order; there was little doubt about it.

But...

Obi-Wan couldn't imagine staying in the Order if Anakin chose to leave. He might not be as disillusioned and cynical as Anakin, but he wasn't blind to the Order's faults, either. He had no idea how to be something other than a Jedi, but if worse came to worst, Obi-Wan could live without the Jedi Order.

He couldn't imagine a life without Anakin.

There wasn't a choice; not really.

Exhaling, Obi-Wan pushed a hand into Anakin's hair and pulled him down into a kiss. It was meant to be brief and chaste, but once they started kissing, it was like floodgates were opened. He couldn't get enough. Anakin groaned and kissed him hungrily, pulling Obi-Wan flush against him as he devoured Obi-Wan's mouth.

" _Force, I feel like I could eat you_ ," Anakin said through their bond as it flared between them, thick and strong once again, their thoughts and emotions mixing.

 _I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you._ Obi-Wan wasn't even sure whose thought it was. It didn't matter. Joy spread through their bond, pure and light.

Breaking the kiss, Obi-Wan pulled back, staring into Anakin's beautiful blue eyes, without any hint of yellow.

He swallowed the sudden tightness in his throat. Part of him still couldn't believe that his love alone could bring Anakin back to the Light side, that it-- _Obi-Wan_ \--would be enough.

He couldn't help but remember Vader's words.

_You're a pathetic old man no one wants. No one ever chooses you. Your master didn't, and neither did your padawan. If Skywalker had a better master, someone who actually knew what they were doing, he wouldn't have Fallen._

Obi-Wan smiled, his heart lighter. Anakin had chosen him this time.

He had.

"Master?" Anakin said with a small, bemused smile. "You're grinning."

"Let's go, dear one," Obi-Wan said. "I believe we have a Jedi Council to shock."

Anakin's answering smile was blinding.

 


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for your comments and kudos; they mean a lot to me.

* * *

Mace Windu wasn't having a good day.

Dealing with the Senate had always been one of his least favorite things, but dealing with the Senate that was still thrown off balance by Palpatine's death was even less pleasant than usual. It was all Skywalker's fault, of course: if that impudent boy hadn't killed Sidious without being sanctioned to, none of this mess would have happened.

Granted, Skywalker's fame as the Hero with No Fear helped them this time. No one really believed that he would murder Palpatine without a good reason and the datachip Skywalker provided had conclusively proved that Palpatine had been supporting the Separatists--at least Mace had thought it conclusively proved it, but of course the Senate required him to be present in one useless meeting after another, as if Mace didn't have far more urgent matters to deal with at the Temple.

Like the fact that hundreds of Jedi were dead.

Or the fact that they had no idea how they were supposed to fight the Separatists when they couldn't trust their own army anymore. The Order 66 might have been canceled by the new Chancellor, but the trust between the surviving Jedi generals and their troops was forever gone. Only Kenobi's and Skywalker's battalions had been spared the fate of attacking their own generals: Captain Cody and Captain Rex, who'd already had their chips removed, had apparently stopped their troops from leaving the _Negotiator_ by locking the hangar bay.

The other clones' chips were being removed right now, but it was a slow process, considering that there were millions of clones and so few medical facilities equipped to perform such a surgery. The surviving Jedi generals were refusing to continue commanding the clone troops while the clones still had the chips in them. Unfortunately, the Separatists hadn't helpfully ceased fire just because there was a crisis in the Republic.

Mace sighed as he took his seat in the Council chamber and looked around the nearly empty room. Only Yoda and Plo Koon were present; other surviving Council members were here only as holo avatars. The sight filled Mace's chest with sadness. Before the war, this room had always been full. Now it seemed it was full of ghosts.

"Final numbers, we have," Yoda said, looking around the holo projections of the Council members. "Gone, are three hundred and twelve of us."

Silence descended over the room as they remembered the dead.

Mace looked down, his shoulders hunching. He had known every single one of them, and it was difficult to believe they were gone.

"What is the status of Skywalker?" Shaak Ti said, breaking the silence at last.

Mace grimaced. "He's Fallen."

"Hmmm," Yoda said, closing his eyes briefly. "Correct, you are not. Dark, young Skywalker is not."

Before Mace could scoff at that utterly ridiculous claim--hadn't Yoda seen how drenched in darkness Skywalker's Force signature was?--the doors to the Council chamber opened.

Skywalker walked in.

Mace stiffened, his hand twitching toward his lightsaber. But then he did a double take, because Yoda _was_ correct. Skywalker was no longer a darksider, his eyes blue and his Force signature Light.

How was it possible?

When Obi-Wan walked in behind Skywalker, Mace frowned. Although it was a relief to see Obi-Wan recovered, he shouldn't have let Skywalker out of his confinement without consulting the Council first.

Skywalker gave the Council a stiff bow and met Mace's eyes. There was unmistakable challenge in his eyes as he reached back and took Obi-Wan's hand. He laced their fingers, his gaze still on Mace.

Someone gasped. Depa had her hand pressed against her mouth, her eyes wide. Adi Gallia's jaw was dropped.

Beside Mace, Yoda didn't react at all.

"What is the meaning of this?" Mace ground out, glaring at Skywalker before looking at Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan had a faint flush on his face, but he was still letting that insolent boy hold his hand without attempting to pull away.

"Obi-Wan and I are attached," Skywalker said with relish, as if it was something he'd been dying to say for years. " _Extremely_ attached and have no intention of getting unattached."

Hush fell over the room.

Mace tore his gaze away from Skywalker's downright _gleeful_ eyes to look at Obi-Wan. Master Kenobi was definitely blushing now, the Force around him tense with his embarrassment, but he still said nothing to refute Skywalker's unbelievable, shameless statement.

Mace would like to say that he had expected this, but he hadn't. He had known about Skywalker's attachment to his former Master, of course--he would have to be blind not to--and had known that Obi-Wan was also far more attached to his padawan than it was appropriate, but this... there was little doubt to what kind of attachment Skywalker was referring to.

"Hmm," Yoda said, breaking the stunned silence. "Darksider anymore, you are not," he said, peering at Skywalker. "Help you, Obi-Wan did?"

Mace stared at Yoda. Sometimes he didn't understand him at all. How could he speak so calmly, as if Skywalker hadn't just dropped the metaphorical bomb on them?

Skywalker glared at Yoda. "Of course my Master helped me. You only made everything worse by locking me up away from Obi-Wan, when I didn't know that he was even alive--"

"Anakin," Obi-Wan said, his voice quiet but firm.

Skywalker looked at his former Master, his eyes softening. His shoulders relaxed, the tension building in them gone.

Obi-Wan squeezed his hand slightly and looked around the stunned Council members. "Anakin is correct," he said. "You shouldn't have locked him up in that cell when he was already dangerously close to slipping to the Dark side. Trust breeds trust. Loyalty breeds loyalty. You only pushed him closer to the edge by allowing your distrust cloud your judgment." Obi-Wan's lips thinned. "And it isn't the first time this Council treated Anakin with such unfair distrust and suspicion even when he didn't deserve it." Obi-Wan looked straight at Mace as he said that.

Mace bristled. Although he had a great deal of respect for Kenobi--he was the best Jed of the younger generation by far--Obi-Wan was toeing a dangerous line right now.

"Skywalker murdered Palpatine and killed over five hundred clones," Mace said flatly. "I would hardly call locking him up undeserved."

Skywalker glowered at him.

Obi-Wan grimaced, but otherwise he didn't look fazed. "He did it to save all of us. If he didn't, neither of us would stand here."

Mace sneered at their joined hands. "I doubt he would have lifted a finger if you weren't in the Temple, Obi-Wan."

A muscle twitched in Obi-Wan's jaw. "You have no right to accuse Anakin of--"

"No, Master," Skywalker cut in, his eyes hard as he looked at Mace. "He's right. I wouldn't have lifted a finger to save their precious Order if you and Ahsoka weren't here. Why would I? The Force itself wants the corrupted Jedi to be gone. Can't you feel it?"

An uneasy silence fell over the room.

Mace glared at Skywalker. "How dare you," he bit out, his hand twitching toward his lightsaber again.

But Yoda's voice stopped him. "Full of pain, the Force is. More balanced it is, too."

Mace stared at him. Not that what he said wasn't true, but it was... tactless to say that the death of hundreds of Jedi balanced the Force.

"Clouded for a long time, the Force has been," Yoda said quietly, his lips down-turned. "Gone, the fog of the Dark side is now after Darth Sidious's death. Possible pasts and futures I can now see again." He looked straight at Skywalker, his gaze penetrative and thoughtful. "Correct, Young Skywalker is."

Skywalker seemed shocked that Yoda was actually taking his side.

Mace was, too.

"Master, do you mean we were the ones unbalancing the Force?" Depa said, her brows furrowed as her holo avatar peered at Yoda. She had a bandage covering her entire torso, and Mace had to suppress the urge to tell his former padawan to go to bed instead of sitting in front of her comlink.

Yoda closed his eyes for a moment. He nodded grimly. "Part of the problem, the Jedi were. Lost our way, we have." He looked around the room. "Betrayed our duty to the Force we have, to serve political interests. Guardians of peace, we should have been, not war. Arrogant, we have become."

Mace clenched his jaw, his own doubts surfacing again. He looked at Skywalker and found him looking at Yoda as if he'd never seen him before.

"Master," Skywalker said, and for the first time in Mace's memory, Skywalker sounded genuinely respectful as he addressed a Council member. "I'm glad that you see that the Order needs to change. But what about the non-attachment rule?"

"Hmm," Yoda said, looking between him Kenobi, at their linked hands. Skywalker just stood taller, meeting Yoda's gaze firmly, as if daring him to reprimand them. Obi-Wan seemed a little uncomfortable in the Force, but his expression was serene, as if he'd made a decision and he wasn't budging.

"Back from the Dark side, pulled you Obi-Wan," Yoda said. "That I can't deny." He sighed, suddenly looking very much his age. "Perhaps wrong about attachment we were, but my decision, it is not. The Council decide it, will."

The Council members looked at each other uneasily.

Mace had had enough. He looked straight at Obi-Wan. "Skywalker is your padawan. Any relationship between you is morally wrong, regardless of whether we'll allow it or not. You _raised_ him. How can you enable this madness, Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan flushed. "Anakin is not my padawan anymore," he said, a little uncomfortably. "He's a grown man, an accomplished Knight, and a war general."

"I don't think you have any room to talk about morals," Skywalker said with a sneer, glaring at Mace. "You've been all but bullying me since I was a child. Obi-Wan doesn't owe you any explanation. He doesn't have to explain to the Council why he _loves_ me. Love doesn't need explanations; it simply is. Only this messed up Order can think that loving someone is the worst kind of sin." He looked around the Council members, his jaw working. "Can't you see how dangerous it actually is? How can the Jedi really care for the good of people if they are told from early childhood that loving and caring for another person is wrong? It's like ordering a blind man to see something. It only leads to hypocrisy--or to the Jedi leaving the Order because they see how messed up it is. Dooku was an excellent Jedi, one of the best, but the Jedi's hypocrisy drove him away and created Darth Tyranus."

Yoda's shoulders hunched as he was reminded of his former padawan's Fall.

Mace could see that Skywalker's words did have an effect on the Council members. Most of them looked thoughtful, some were nodding. He had to admit that... that he could somewhat understand what Skywalker meant, too.

"I agree," Depa said quietly. "Fear of attachment only leads to anger and self-hatred. It isn't healthy. We lost many a good Jedi because of that."

There was a murmur of agreement.

"Vote, the Council will," Yoda said, looking pensively at Skywalker.

Against his will, it made Mace think of the Prophecy of the Chosen One. In that other dimension, Vader had brought the Force into balance by destroying both the Sith and the Jedi. In this dimension, the Sith might be dead, but the Jedi still existed. Perhaps in this world, Skywalker's actions could still bring balance to the Force without extinguishing the Jedi Order.

By changing it.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

Anakin tried not to grin too smugly as he got back his lightsaber and comlink from a disgruntled-looking Mace Windu. _Tried_ being the key word.

He could feel Obi-Wan's fond amusement through their bond. _"Mace did vote in favor of allowing attachments, Anakin,"_ he rebuked him gently.

 _"Yes, because otherwise he would have looked like a narrow-minded poodoo when even his own former padawan supported us, Master,"_ Anakin replied with a smile, clipping his lightsaber to his belt and glancing at his comlink. He frowned.

"What is it?" Obi-Wan said, stepping closer.

"There's a recent message from Vader. He wants to meet us."

 

 

* * *

 

 

_Previous evening_

 

 

 

"I don't like this."

Vader didn't look up, still focused on drawing the runes on Kenobi's chest.

"This is revolting, Anakin."

Vader flinched a little, still thrown every time Kenobi called him that name. Hearing it was incredibly disorienting. Every time Kenobi called him that, the urge to call him _Master_ became nearly irresistible. Vader smothered it every time--Vader had no master--but it wasn't easy. Part of him, perhaps the remnants of the boy Kenobi had trained, craved to hear that name from Kenobi's lips. Pathetic.

"It's just blood," Vader said curtly, drawing the intricate _shie_ rune on Kenobi's chest, over his heart. _Life_.

"A dead man's blood," Kenobi said, cringing in disgust. "What will it do to me? How can you be sure that this Sith ritual will work? The Dark side only takes. It can't save anyone."

Ignoring a sliver of doubt, Vader drew the _kivu_ \--transformation-- rune on Obi-Wan's abdomen. "It will work," he said shortly. _It has to._

"But what purpose does Sidious's blood serve? What did the Sith holocron say?"

"It didn't have to be Sidious's blood," Vader said. "A blood of any powerful darksider would do. Sidious was just convenient, since he was close and already dead." He pulled back a little to survey his handiwork. Kenobi's pale torso was completely covered in blood runes. "Now comes the last part. Open your mouth."

Kenobi glanced at the half-full cube Vader was still holding and flinched away, revulsion twisting his features. "You already injected me with it. I'm not drinking Sidious's blood, Anakin. I draw a line at that."

Vader glared at him. "You will," he said, grabbing Kenobi's chin. "After all my efforts to get us here, I won't let you kark it up because you're squeamish."

Kenobi looked at him steadily. "You already tried blood transfusion. It didn't work. What makes you think this will?"

"Because it _isn't_ blood transfusion. You just need to have midi-chlorians in you and on you for the ritual to work. They don't have to be yours." Vader glanced at the cube with blood. "This artifact purifies the midi-chlorians in Sidious's blood, making them susceptible to Force suggestions and manipulations."

Kenobi studied him carefully, his gray-blue eyes full of suspicion and distrust.

Vader felt...a pang of loss. He ignored it. He _didn't_ miss the time Obi-Wan would have accepted poison from his hands. That time was long in the past. They both were different people now. Hardened. More cynical and distrustful.

It was for the best. Trust was a foreign concept for a Sith, anyway.

Obi-Wan would make a good Sith.

Vader kept his expression blank, grateful that they no longer had a force bond and Kenobi couldn't read him.

He brought the cube to Kenobi's mouth. "Drink."

Kenobi pressed his lips together, as infuriatingly stubborn as ever.

With a growl of frustration, Vader squeezed Kenobi's nose with Force until Kenobi was finally forced to open his mouth, gasping for air. Vader poured the blood into Kenobi's mouth. "If you don't swallow it, I swear I'll kill all the Jedi in this dimension, starting from the younglings," he snarled.

Glaring at him, Kenobi swallowed the blood, visibly fighting his gag reflex. "Now what?" he croaked out when the cube was empty.

Vader sat cross-legged opposite him and took Kenobi's hands into his own and put their joined hands on the cube. It was warm to the touch. Too warm.

"Now I meditate," Vader said, closing his eyes.

Thankfully, Kenobi didn't comment. Kenobi was feeling...wistful and it wasn't difficult to guess why. Kenobi was likely thinking of the times he'd tried to force his padawan to meditate--tried and largely failed. How many times had they been in this very position, with young Obi-Wan trying to guide him through meditation, holding Anakin's small hands in his own? It had been over a decade since the last time they'd done this together. Vader's hands dwarfed Obi-Wan's now and he had no soft-spoken Master to guide him through this.

He _didn't_ need one, anyway. He was the greatest Sith Lord to ever live. He could do this.

Ironically, he was much better at meditating as a Sith than he'd ever been as a Jedi. Vader had quickly learned that the Dark side would control him if he didn't learn to control it, so meditation had been a necessity for him since his Fall. It still didn't come easily to him, but it was easier to make an effort when he knew that it was actually useful. Meditation had seemed so pointless as a Jedi.

Through trial and error, he'd learned a different technique to achieve a successful meditative state. Vader didn't bother clearing his thoughts--he'd never been good at it. Instead, he focused all his senses on Kenobi's hands in his own until he could feel every imperfection, every line, every scar, every cell that made those hands.

Slowly, he let his awareness spread to the rest of Kenobi's body. He could feel how bone-tired Kenobi was, how much his muscles and joints ached and hurt after fighting for his life with such intensity after years without practice. He could also feel how weak Kenobi's body was--it felt completely different from the way it used to feel. Kenobi had no Force signature, no midi-chlorians to connect him to the Force.

Except there were some midi-chlorians right now in Kenobi's system, in his blood, in his stomach, on his skin, but they weren't connected to Kenobi. Vader didn't need them to be for this to work. As soon Sidious's midi-chlorians served their purpose, there would be no need for them--Obi-Wan would have his own back.

Vader focused and touched those midi-chlorians, connecting them to the Force through him--and then he opened himself to the Dark side, letting it flood through him, through the artifact under their joined hands, and into his former Master.

Kenobi gasped, his hands tensing. "What are you doing?" he said, his alarm clear. It was unlikely that he could feel Vader's Force manipulations--he still wasn't Force-sensitive--but he could likely already feel that something was off. Even non-Force-sensitives could vaguely sense strong currents of the Dark side of the Force; they usually just called it a "bad feeling."

Technically, he had told Kenobi the truth: this artifact had confused Sidious's midi-chlorians in the sense that the microscopic creatures forgot who they originally belonged to and they became highly susceptible to Force manipulations. But it didn't _purify_ them. They were still very much attuned to the Dark side.

Which was what he needed for the purposes of this ritual. It would never work on midi-chlorians attuned to the Light side of the Force, because this ritual was inherently Dark, invented by an ancient Korriban Sith Lord, Darth Xeus. Lord Xeus's beloved wife had lost all her limbs in an accident, and since at the time prosthetics had been nowhere near as good as they were now, he spent years obsessing over inventing a ritual that would give his wife her natural limbs back. In the end, he invented an artifact that could manipulate a darksider's midi-chlorians into transforming her body into its earlier incarnation.

 _Without the midi-chlorians, life could not exist,_  Qui-Gon had once told him. He had been right, but few knew that midi-chlorians could literally create life and manipulate the time flow within one's body. It was no coincidence that the Force users who had mastered their knowledge of midi-chlorians and their connection to the Living Force could live hundreds of years without seemingly aging: like Yoda, for example. Midi-chlorians could manipulate time matter within one's body--at least that was what Vader's research on Korriban had found. According to the Korriban library, Lord Xeus had been successful in transforming his wife's broken body into its younger, whole self.

Not that it necessarily meant this ritual would work on Kenobi. For one thing, Kenobi was a lightsider and there was no guarantee that a Sith ritual would work at all, regardless of the midi-chlorians' affiliation. This seemingly simple cube under their hands was the result of hundreds of life sacrifices and twisted rituals on Darth Xeus's part. It might reject helping Kenobi or Kenobi's body might reject its help.

For another, even if Kenobi were a darksider, there would be no guarantee that it would work. After all, if it were that simple, wouldn't the other Vader--the one who'd lost all his limbs--use it to restore his old body, too?

Except he had gotten the impression that the other Darth Vader, the Emperor's dog, had been little more than the Emperor's slave, without his own agenda and purpose. Even if Sidious had known about this ritual, he would never use it to help his apprentice--it would gain Sidious nothing. Having Vader dependent on the suit made him far more manageable and predictable. Besides, Sidious would never be able to use this ritual, even if he wanted to. The nature of the ritual wouldn't allow it.

Shaking off the thought, Vader focused on the ritual. He pushed the Force through the artifact into Kenobi's body, the power of the Dark side flowing through him easily but not sweeping him away. Right now he was just a conduit. He poured and poured until the runes--the midi-chlorians in the blood runes--finally started glowing, powering the runes and connecting them to the Living Force. Vader could feel the air thicken with the Force currents.

"Anakin!" Kenobi said sharply. "What's happening?"

Vader didn't reply, not allowing himself to be distracted as he focused on powering the runes. Life. Transformation. Rebirth. Power. Strength. The tricky part was to not draw the power of the ritual into himself. He could--it would have been so easy.

 _Don't you want more power?_ the Dark whispered like a lover. _Don't you want to be immortal?_

Gritting his teeth, Vader pushed the voice away. While he would never say no to more power, he wasn't interested in immortality if he had no one to share it with. He couldn't imagine living forever but alone. The mere thought made him shudder. Once Kenobi was healthy, then perhaps he would consider it, but not now. 

The voice retreated, but he knew it couldn't be the end. The description of the ritual in the holocron alluded to the Dark side trying to sway the Sith through temptation and fear. Vader wasn't sure what that would entail, but he was wary. There were records of countless other Sith trying to replicate Darth Xeus's ritual without success. The main problem was, this ritual required the caster to care for another being more than he cared for his own, which was nearly impossible for a Sith. Sith did love, but a Sith's love was usually too selfish to truly care for another being.

In that regard, Vader was grateful for being Anakin Skywalker. Not caring enough had never been his issue. He cared too much, which was what had ultimately made him Fall.

Now his damned weakness would finally serve him.

He would fix Kenobi.

He would.

 _Why?_ the Dark whispered. _If you fix him, he'll leave. He'll betray you. He'll take your children away and poison their ears with the Jedi lies. He doesn't care for you. He hates you._

 _I'm his deepest attachment,_ Vader snarled, trying to push the voice away. _Skywalker said his Kenobi admitted it._

 _But you're not the same Skywalker, are you?_ the Dark said. _Why would Obi-Wan still be attached to you after you destroyed everything he loved? All he feels for you is disgust. You think Obi-Wan can love someone who has the blood of children on his hands? He will try to kill you and leave the moment he gets his connection to the Force back._

Vader's resolve wavered.

"Anakin, you _will_ tell me what's happening this instant!"

Vader opened his eyes and stared at Kenobi's tired, worried face as he eyed the glowing runes on his own body. Vader tried to focus on keeping the flow of the Force uninterrupted, but it was difficult. The Dark side sensed his faltering resolve and was trying to free itself from his grasp and control _him_.

"Say you're mine," Vader said tightly.

Kenobi stared at him.

"Say it!" Vader ordered, desperation and anger clawing at his insides as the power of the ritual started weakening. Any Sith ritual required for the Sith to truly want it, to draw power from his emotions, from his conviction. If he had even a small doubt, it would be all in vain.

Kenobi remained silent, his expression very strange.

"You'll never leave me," Vader bit out. "Say it."

Kenobi opened his mouth and closed it, his gaze searching.

The ritual started coming apart, the runes dimming.

"Say you care for me," Vader gritted out, squeezing Kenobi's hands. " _Master, please_."

Kenobi's expression shattered, pain crossing his features. "I wish I didn't. I don't know how to stop."

Elation filled him to the brim and Vader laughed, his laughter sounding a little deranged as he poured the Force into the ritual. _He's mine, mine mine mine, he cares for me, he'll never leave me, he's mine mine mine._

The runes glowed brightly, so brightly it hurt his eyes. The midi-chlorians inside Kenobi glowed, too, charged with power. The artifact pulsed under their hands, like a living thing, radiating immense power.

Kenobi sucked a breath in. "I feel strange. What's happening, Anakin?"

"I'm saving your life," Vader said, closing his eyes again. He focused on the midi-chlorians and _pushed_ his will, commanding them to transform Kenobi back to the time he was the strongest.

It was the most bizarre feeling in his life.

Midi-chlorians were microscopic, intelligent life forms that normally weren't susceptible to Force suggestions. They were a conduit for the Force, not something that could be influenced by the Force. But the Sith artifact _was_ working--Vader could feel them respond sluggishly to his command.

Vader felt gleeful when he felt them bend to his will--but also a little apprehensive. That was the problem with Dark rituals: they were not precise. There was no telling how the midi-chlorians would interpret Kenobi at his strongest. He theorized that it would make Kenobi four or five years younger, give him the body from the time he was General Kenobi, when he was at his top physical shape, and possibly turn him into a darksider because of the Dark nature of the ritual, but he couldn't be sure.

He didn't like the uncertainty.

But he had little choice. He couldn't give the midi-chlorians a precise time to return Obi-Wan's body to--it didn't work like that. Time was of little consequence to midi-chlorians. Strength was one of the few concepts they shared with mere mortals, something they understood.

"Anakin, something's happening," Kenobi croaked out. "I don't feel well."

Ignoring the twinge of unease, Vader just squeezed Kenobi's hands tighter and continued pouring the Force into Kenobi's body through the artifact. He chanted the runes under his breath, pushing his will in, until the rush of the Force was the only thing he could hear and--

Kenobi cried out and fell to the floor, convulsing. A pained sound ripped out of his chest, something between a growl and a whimper, as his body jerked as though electrocuted. The Force around him became denser and denser, until Vader could no longer see anything but brightness.

Vader shielded his eyes from the overwhelming light until the Force finally receded from the room and he could somewhat see again.

He had to blink a few times before his gaze focused on the figure that lay on the floor.

He heart jumped into his throat when he realized that he could feel a Force signature--a painfully familiar Force signature he would never mistake for another.

It worked.

It actually _worked!_

Grinning maniacally, Vader fell to his knees and turned the other man onto his back.

His eyes widened.

It was Obi-Wan Kenobi, but it wasn't General Kenobi that he had expected to see. Kenobi looked painfully young, as young as he looked when Anakin first met him, perhaps even younger.

Vader stared greedily at Kenobi's smooth, young face and found himself smiling. This was actually better than he had expected. Kenobi was now younger than him, which meant that he definitely wouldn't die before him, wouldn't die and leave him--

Kenobi groaned, his Force signature radiating confusion, before his eyes fluttered open.

They were still the same lovely gray-blue they'd always been. The ritual hadn't turned him into a Sith, as Vader had half-expected it to. Vader wasn't sure if he was disappointed or not; it wasn't relevant now. The important thing was, it worked. It worked!

"I did it, see?" Vader said, grinning as he cradled Kenobi's face possessively. "I told you I would."

A wrinkle appeared between Kenobi's smooth brows as he looked at Vader in confusion. "Who are you?"

Vader's grin froze.

He stared at Kenobi's confused face, searching desperately for any sign of recognition, and when he saw none, he felt sick to his stomach, like the ground was being pulled away underneath his feet.

Among all the possible outcomes, he had never imagined this one. He had thought that Kenobi's body was the only thing that would change; he hadn't expected that Kenobi would lose his memories, too.

It shouldn't have mattered.

It shouldn't have.

But it did.

Because effectively, this Obi-Wan Kenobi wasn't _his_. He had no idea who Anakin Skywalker had been--would be--to him. He wasn't the same soft-spoken young Knight who had comforted him after the reprimands he received from the Council. He wasn't the Obi-Wan who held him when he crawled into his Master's bed after a nightmare. He wasn't the bright-eyed Master who'd told him that he was proud of what a strong Jedi Anakin had become. He wasn't the Obi-Wan who'd shared countless near-death experiences with him. He wasn't the Obi-wan who'd chosen not to kill him on Mustafar.

This Obi-Wan didn't remember him at all.

He meant nothing to this Obi-Wan.

_You are strong and wise, Anakin, and I am very proud of you. I have trained you since you were a small boy, and you have become a far greater Jedi than I could ever hope to be._

Vader's throat closed up, his eyes stinging. 

"Who are you?" said the stranger wearing his Master's face, frowning at him and still looking at Vader as if he meant _nothing_.

Vader wanted to hit him. He wanted to choke him and demand that he gave _his_ Obi-Wan back.

Because this--this was worse than Kenobi's death, worse than his hatred, worse than anything. _Not mattering_ to Obi-Wan Kenobi was worse than anything Vader could ever imagine.

His Master was gone now.

Gone, even though he was still technically alive.

He was as good as dead.

"No," Vader croaked out. "No!" Squeezing Obi-Wan's shoulders, he pressed their foreheads together. Something inside him shattered and broke. "Don't you remember me? Master? It's me, An--Anakin."

"I'm sorry, I don't remember you," Obi-Wan said, clearly uncomfortable with a stranger all over his personal space. "Please unhand me. You must be mistaking me for someone else. I'm no one's master. I'm a padawan myself."

An inhuman sound left Anakin's throat. He cradled Obi-Wan's face, his fingers shaking. "You can't be gone," he whispered frantically, fiercely, desperately. "You're still in there, somewhere. You can't leave me alone." Desperate, he reached out mentally, toward the broken, neglected Force bond he'd once shared with his Master. It was marred beyond recognition--first by his Fall, then by the Force inhibitors he'd injected Obi-Wan with. But it was still there. Maybe he could fix it, maybe he could use it. Desperate, he started stroking the broken bond between them, trying to heal it, bring it back to life.

"What?" the young Obi-Wan whispered, his bewilderment increasing. "What are you doing--what is this?"

"You're mine," Anakin growled. "You can't just forget me. You _can't_!" He reached out mentally and tied the broken end of his bond to Obi-Wan's Force signature, twining them together until they felt like one. It was crude and clumsy, it shouldn't have worked, but his desperation--the sheer strength of his desire to fix them--got the job done, and the bond came back to life, strong, warm, and achingly familiar.

Beneath him, Obi-Wan was gasping as Anakin flooded his mind with a lifetime of memories, _willing_ him to remember, searching desperately for a spark of recognition.

There.

Anakin grabbed the elusive, faint memory of his seventeen-year-old self working on some droid parts as Obi-Wan watched him fondly. It was _Obi-Wan's_ memory, not his.

Joy filled him as he realized that. His Master wasn't gone; the memories of this new body had simply overwritten his old ones, not erased them completely. They could be recovered. They were coming back; Anakin could feel it.

"Anakin?" Obi-Wan whispered dazedly, his confusion apparent. But there was recognition in his voice this time, recognition and warmth. It sounded _right_ again.

He pulled back and gave Obi-Wan a shaky smile, looking at him searchingly. "You remember me now, right? Master? Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan stared at him strangely.

For a moment, Anakin was scared that Obi-Wan didn't actually remember, that he'd imagined it.

But then Obi-Wan lifted his hand and touched Anakin's cheek, his eyes misty. "I saw this dimension's Anakin, but it wasn't the same. I'd never thought I'd see your beautiful eyes again."

Anakin went still.

Stunned, he reached out to the Force, trying to focus on something beyond their overwhelming, distracting bond, and nearly gasped as he felt the Light side of the Force again, for the first time in four years. It filled his soul, warming him to his toes. Was that how it had always felt like? The Light side? Warm, bright, and comforting?

 _Sometimes we have to lose something to truly start appreciating it,_ Obi-Wan's voice said in his mind.

Anakin stared at him. "I know," he said hoarsely.

Obi-Wan threaded his fingers through Anakin's curls, his wise eyes not matching his youthful appearance. "I missed you, dear one."

Anakin swallowed the painful lump in his throat.

 _"I missed you calling me that,"_ he said through their bond.

He bit the inside of his cheek hard. "But I'm still not a Jedi, you know. I'm not a lightsider, Obi-Wan." He wasn't. He could still access the Dark side, too. It was within his reach, as easily accessible as the Light side. It didn't feel as warm as the Light side, but it felt just as right, in a different way. He wasn't a Sith anymore, but neither was he a Jedi. He was now something in between.

Obi-Wan nodded. "I know," he said, his expression still warm and _happy_. Force, how long had it been since Anakin saw him truly happy? Years. 

Obi-Wan smiled wryly. "If even your Fall couldn't destroy my attachment to you, you being Gray is nothing."

Anakin grinned helplessly. Leaning down, he rubbed their noses together. "You look like jailbait now, Master," he said with a smirk. "I think I'll enjoy corrupting you."

"Anakin," Obi-Wan said with a long-suffering sigh, but Anakin could feel his amusement--and arousal--through their bond.

Oh.

Obi-Wan had a young body now, with everything it entailed.

Anakin smirked and finally kissed him, pouring his hunger, his fear, and his relief into that kiss. _You're alive, you're still mine, you'll always be mine. I'm so sorry for failing you, Master--for everything. I love you more than anything. I want you more than anything._

Obi-Wan moaned, trembling under him and returning the kiss with equal hunger and need. _My Anakin, Anakin, Anakin, Anakin._

When they finally broke the kiss, their eyes and faces were wet, their arms wrapped around each other, clutching each other desperately.

Anakin laughed and laid his head on Obi-Wan's chest. "Force, we're a mess."

"We are," Obi-Wan said quietly, running his fingers through Anakin's hair.

What was this peaceful, warm feeling inside him? 

Was this what happiness felt like? 

Anakin smiled and closed his eyes, listening to the steady sound of Obi-Wan's heart.

They fell asleep like that, emotionally exhausted but at peace.


	16. Chapter 16

Obi-Wan wasn't sure what he was expecting when he and Anakin arrived at the address Vader had given them.

He could only hope that Vader didn't have any nefarious reasons for this meeting, because he couldn't summon any wariness in his current state of... contentedness. His body still ached pleasantly after being subjected to Anakin's... rather vigorous attentions all night long.

They had intended to meet Vader immediately, but yesterday they had been held up by other issues that required their attention--the Order was still in chaos after the recent events--and then it was too late in the night, so they put off their meeting with Vader and Ben until this morning.

Not that the late hour had stopped them from spending most of the night learning each other's bodies, but Obi-Wan didn't regret it. Despite the few hours of sleep he'd gotten, he'd never felt better. It probably helped that now he no longer was weighed down by his shame and guilt for his attachment to Anakin.

Force, he still couldn't believe that the Order now allowed attachments, that he and Anakin didn't have to hide, that they could be Jedi and be together.

Obi-Wan felt incredibly proud of Anakin, of the strong Jedi and man his former padawan had become. Few had Anakin's courage to go against the Council, or Anakin's firmness of beliefs. Obi-Wan knew it wouldn't be long now that Anakin would be granted the title of a Jedi Master--he'd heard whispers of it already. Unexpectedly, instead of scorn, Anakin's recent actions had earned him a lot of respect, and he was absolutely revered by the padawans and younglings. It made Obi-Wan smile.

 _He is the Chosen One_ , Qui-Gon had once told him. _Train him, Obi-Wan._

For the first time, Obi-Wan felt like he hadn't been an inadequate Master for Anakin, that he must have done right by him for Anakin to have become who he was now.

" _You were the best Master I could wish for,"_ Anakin said through the bond, meeting his eyes as they got out of the elevator.

Obi-Wan felt himself flush. He still wasn't used to how strong their bond had become. Thoughts seemed to slip through despite their shields.

"Your attachment must be clouding your judgment, Padawan," Obi-Wan said in a mock stern voice, his lips twitching.

Anakin laughed and leaned in to give him a quick, greedy kiss. "It could be, Master," he said when he pulled back, smirking at him. "Maybe you should report me to the Council."

Obi-Wan couldn't help it: looping his arms around Anakin's neck, he pulled him down and kissed him again. Force, he would never get enough of him.

Anakin hummed appreciatively, his hands running down Obi-Wan's back and setting on his buttocks and pulling their hips flush as he deepened their kiss.

Someone cleared their throat.

When Obi-Wan managed to make himself pull back--because Anakin seemed to have no intention of breaking their kiss--he stared uncomprehendingly at--

"Okay, this is weird," Anakin said beside him.

'Weird' was putting it mildly.

Obi-Wan dragged his gaze away from a very young version of himself to Vader--except even Vader didn't look like his old self. His Force signature no longer seemed as Dark and unstable, though it still wasn't as Light as Anakin's, either. Vader's eyes were blue now, even though there was a hint of yellow in them.

"That must be one heck of a ritual," Anakin said.

Ben smiled crookedly and opened the door wider, stepping aside. "Please come in."

Obi-Wan and Anakin followed them inside the apartment.

"So," Vader said, looking at Anakin. "I see you actually followed my advice."

Anakin's lips twisted.

" _What advice?"_ Obi-Wan asked him through the bond.

Anakin put a hand on his shoulder. " _He basically told me to dump Padme and start fucking you,_ " he told Obi-Wan before telling Vader, "You don't get credit for this. And I'm sure you have another reason for summoning us here than gloating over being right."

"We do," Ben said before Vader could say anything. "We're going home today. But we wanted to see you before we go. As Anakin mentioned before, Palpatine had contingency plans for everything, even his death." He pulled out a datachip from his pocket. "Anakin has found and destroyed Palpatine's clone that was being created in a secret medical facility and a few other suspicious artifacts that could be used to bring him back to life in some way. Granted, we can't know for sure that Palpatine's contingency plans weren't different in this dimension, but it's worth checking out."

"Thank you," Obi-Wan said, taking the datachip and pocketing it. He noted with interest that Ben was referring to Vader as Anakin again. Actually, Ben looked like a different person now, and Obi-Wan didn't just mean his physical appearance. There was peace in his eyes that had been absent before and he was leaning into Vader's personal space without seeming to realize that.

"Are you going to restore the Republic now that you aren't a Sith?" Anakin said.

Vader snorted. "Like hell I would. The Empire needs a strong leader, not a bunch of corrupted politicians that can get nothing done."

Anakin nodded, clearly agreeing with him on that issue.

Obi-Wan looked at Ben, expecting him to argue, but Ben looked unbothered. Then again, after years of dealing with a Sith Anakin, this was probably nothing in the grand scheme of things.

"Is this all you've wanted us here for?" Anakin said, taking Obi-Wan's hand. "We promised to have breakfast with Snips."

"Yes, that's all," Vader said, shrugging. "I wanted to leave yesterday, but Obi-Wan insisted that it wasn't polite to leave without saying goodbye after you helped us."

"Thank you," Ben said. "I hope the datachip will prove to be useful for you."

Anakin smiled at him. "Thanks. I'm glad you're healthy again, Ben." His smile turned into a smirk. "I almost forgot how cute you looked without the beard, Master."

Vader glared at him, pulling the young Ben into his side, a flicker of yellow in his eyes. "You have your own Obi-Wan to ogle. Now get lost."

Laughing, Anakin pulled Obi-Wan out of the apartment. "Did you see his face, Obi-Wan? He looked positively green with jealousy."

Obi-Wan averted his gaze.

"Wait," Anakin said, pulling him to a stop and looking him in the eye. "You were jealous too?"

"Being jealous of myself would be irrational," Obi-Wan said.

But Anakin knew him too well. "Master," he said softly, cradling his face. "I was just trying to annoy Vader. You're the only one I want. Ben looks beautiful, but so do you. I love your beard." He rubbed their cheeks together. "It's sexy as hell. Though I wouldn't say no if you shaved it sometimes. I miss your dimples."

"Anakin," Obi-Wan sighed, pulling him closer. He couldn't deny that he had felt a little jealous for a moment, because Ben was a lot younger now, and while Obi-Wan was a man in his prime, he wasn't as youthful-looking as Ben. He wasn't as young as Anakin. "You say that I'm the only one you want, but... what if Senator Amidala changes her mind and wants you back?"

"She won't," Anakin said. "But even if she does, it won't change anything, Obi-Wan. I..." He sighed and looked Obi-Wan in the eye, his expression rueful. "I loved Padme, I still love her, in a way. But with Padme, I felt like I was living some kind of fairy-tale fantasy, not my real life. My relationship with Padme felt like a fancy, wonderful dream that had little to do with my everyday life. I loved her with the passion of a teenager. As soon as I left her apartment, I felt like the world was cold and cruel, that everything was against us, against my happiness. It really messed with my head, to be honest. It made me feel helpless. But you-- you're my _home_ , Obi-Wan. I love you differently from the way I loved her. It's like--like you're part of me, you know?"

Obi-Wan stared at him.

Anakin kissed his lips softly. "You are. Your love is the one thing I've always craved, Master--I wouldn't have even looked at Padme again if I knew that my attachment to you was returned. Your love makes me feel like I can do anything--like I can fly--like the world is a better place." He smiled, his blue eyes full of affection and intensity as he gazed at Obi-Wan. "I look at you and I feel happy. So kriffing happy and content with the world. I'm never giving you up, not even for Padme. Not for anyone." He pressed their foreheads together. "I love you. You're literally the light of my life, Master. If I could, I would keep you in my pocket to have you with me all the time."

His eyes a little misty, Obi-Wan chuckled. "That would be a little extreme, Anakin," he said dryly and kissed him, his chest full of warmth, love, and belonging.

_You are my home, too, dear one._

_You always will be, in every universe._

 

 

***

 

A few dimensions away, Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi sat outside his hut, watching the Tatooine suns set.

As they often did lately, his thoughts kept returning to the unusual visitors he'd had last month. Seeing his counterpart had been shocking enough, but seeing a suitless Darth Vader was...

Obi-Wan swallowed and closed his eyes, taking deep breaths.

There was no point in thinking of what ifs; Obi-Wan knew it.

He _knew_ it.

But actually seeing what would have happened if he hadn't managed to force himself to do his duty on Mustafar...it was.... It was beyond painful to see what might have been. He'd thought he had no other choice. He'd thought...

Obi-Wan shook his head at his own foolishness. That other dimension was hardly nice, either. There was still a Darth Vader, regardless of how he looked. His counterpart was little more than Vader's slave. The Empire still existed.

But.

But things were definitely better in that other dimension. From what little his counterpart told him, Obi-Wan could tell that Vader's Empire was a much better place than Sidious's. Vader and Ben were raising Luke and Leia. Ahsoka was there, too. And Vader still cared enough about Ben to want to save his life. There was still some humanity in him, no matter how twisted it was. But then again, that Vader hadn't had all his limbs severed and hadn't burned alive as his Obi-Wan watched.

"Enough," Obi-Wan whispered and opened his eyes.

The sandstorm was coming. He should go inside.

He got to his feet, still unaccustomed to the strange weakness of his body. He'd never given his midi-chlorians much thought, but ever since donating part of his own to his counterpart, Obi-Wan could acutely feel how much weaker he'd become. He got aches and pains that had never bothered him in his life. Jedi aged slowly, and at forty-two, he should have been at his peak physical shape, but lately Obi-Wan felt old and tired.

He entered his hut and shut the door, grimacing at the sand that managed to slip in. Now he understood the hatred for sand A--

Obi-Wan closed his eyes and breathed, in and out, until his breathing was steady once again.

Tea.

Tea was what he needed.

Obi-Wan looked at the kettle on the stove, at the lone cup waiting for him on the table.

A cup of tea was what he needed.

And yet, his feet didn't move toward the table.

They brought him toward the chest he kept beside his bed.

He sagged to his knees in front of it and opened it with unsteady hands.

A familiar lightsaber lay inside it, as familiar to him as his own.

Obi-Wan stared at it, reminding himself that this was a weapon that killed so many Jedi--so many younglings. Usually, looking at it hardened his resolve, gave him purpose, reminded him that he had to live to keep Luke safe.

_"Master, look! Isn't it beautiful?" Blue eyes, beaming at him with pride and happiness._

Clenching his jaw, Obi-Wan squashed the memory down. _Gone, he's gone._

He was about to close the chest when another item caught his eye, one he should have thrown away instead of keeping it.

His fingers shaking, Obi-Wan reached down and pulled it out. Slowly, he unwrapped it and stared at the long strand of intricately woven dark-gold hair.

_You should have it, Obi-Wan. I wouldn't be here without you, Master._

Obi-Wan crushed the braid in his fist and pressed it against his face, a ragged, broken sound leaving his throat. His chest hurt, his throat hurt, his _soul_ hurt.

It was both a relief and a source of anguish to know that there were other dimensions, other lives where he might have made better choices, might have been a better Master.

Maybe there was a life where he'd saved Anakin, a life where he'd told Anakin how much he was loved before it was too late, a life where they grew old together.

It gave him hope.

 

 

The End

 

 

* * *

 

 

**EPILOGUE**

**(Alternate Ending)**

 

Obi-Wan walked tiredly to his hut after herding his banthas into their pen. Although the suns were setting, it was still hot, and sweat was running down his forehead.

His exhaustion was probably why he failed to notice their Force signatures until after he entered the hut.

He came to an abrupt halt, staring at the two people inside the room.

"Hello," said a very young version of Obi-Wan. He was so young that Obi-Wan was surprised that he still didn't have a padawan braid.

Obi-Wan carefully _didn't look_ at the other person in the room. "Am I getting a visit from different doppelgangers every month now?" he said with forced humor.

"We are actually the same ones that came here a few months ago," the other Obi-Wan said with a crooked smile.

Obi-Wan shot his companion a startled look and quickly looked away from those blue eyes, his hands clenching into fists. "But he isn't a Sith anymore," he said tightly, his heart beating somewhere in his throat.

"No," said that painfully familiar voice. "I found a way to give Obi-Wan a healthy, Force-sensitive body." He chuckled. "Along the way, this kind of happened. That's why we're here, actually. To use that ritual to give you your midi-chlorians back."

"I feel guilty that you lost half of your midi-chlorians because of me," Ben said.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "You shouldn't have bothered." He looked around the shabby hut with a twisted little smile. "I'm hardly in need of them here. I barely use the Force these days."

Obi-Wan could feel _His_ frown without even looking at him.

"Your life will be shorter with so few midi-chlorians, Obi-Wan," he said. "And surely you feel weaker?"

Obi-Wan didn't look his way, tucking his trembling hands under his arms as he wrapped his arms around himself in a semblance of a hug. "I'm fine. You should go." The sooner they left, the sooner he could fall apart.

Ben was looking at him pensively. "Could you leave us for a moment, Anakin?"

Obi-Wan sucked a breath in, that name like a punch to his gut.

"Of course."

The door opened and closed.

Immediately, the room seemed twice as dark.

"I know it must be hard for you to see him," his counterpart said.

Obi-Wan almost laughed. That was quite an understatement. The last time he saw _his_ Anakin , he was burning alive and screaming at him how much he hated him.

"Just go please," he said tightly, turning away and walking to the window. He stared at the sunset unseeingly. For some reason, the knowledge that other versions of him got to keep their Anakins didn't feel comforting anymore. It just made him feel more broken and bitter. It wasn't the Jedi way; he knew it. But he couldn't help it.

"That ritual can help your Vader, too," came a quiet voice. "To get his healthy body back. It won't make him less of a Sith, but it will give him Anakin's body. And who knows, maybe he can be still brought back to the Light, kind of."

Obi-Wan shook his head, his throat aching. "Darth Vader isn't Anakin. He killed Anakin--"

"That's what I used to tell myself," Ben said with a sigh. "But I was wrong. Vader has always been a part of Anakin, just like Anakin is still a part of Vader. They're not two different persons, Obi-Wan. If they were, my Anakin wouldn't still have a great deal of Vader in him. He wouldn't still love me even when he was Vader."

Obi-Wan flinched. He'd had his suspicions about the nature of Vader and Ben's relationship, but he hadn't expected them to be confirmed.

"I'm not saying that the situations are the same," Ben said gently. "I understand that your Vader has far more reasons to hate you than mine did, but very deep down, he's still the same bright-eyed, kind boy who cared too much. He isn't gone. He can't be." Ben heaved a sigh. "Truth be told, it hurts me thinking that Anakin, any Anakin, is confined to a metal suit and can't even breathe without it, his body and soul broken beyond repair, that he has nothing but hatred to fuel him."

Obi-Wan closed his eyes, fighting tears.

"I'm leaving the artifact for the ritual and instructions on how to use it," Ben said quietly, putting something on the table. "It's your decision to make." A pause. "No matter what you decide, may the Force be with you."

The door shut after him.

Soon, Ben's and Vader's Force signatures disappeared, as if they hadn't ever been there.

Obi-Wan pressed his forehead against the window, his eyes burning as a sob built in his chest.

_May the Force be with you._

Those were the last words Anakin had said to him before his Fall. The next time Obi-Wan saw him, he was already an insane Sith Lord and a murderer, beyond redemption.

Or so Obi-Wan had thought.

Could Ben be right? Could Anakin still be alive in the monster that was Darth Vader?

_Even if he is, he hates you. His hatred for you is probably the only thing that fuels his broken body these days. He'll kill you the moment he sees you. He'll never accept your help._

_But._

Obi-Wan opened his eyes, his jaw setting as he made the decision.

If there was still even a tiny chance that Anakin wasn't gone... then he owed it to the boy who had once called him 'Master.' He owed it to him to try, one last time. For him. For both of them. Because this wasn't living. They both were barely existing now.

One of the suns had already disappeared into the horizon, the other barely visible.

Obi-Wan stared at its dying rays, at peace with himself for the first time in four years.

He might not live long enough to see another sunset, so he was going to enjoy this one.

It would be a new day tomorrow.

Unbeknownst to Obi-Wan, the threads of the Cosmic Force shifted, creating yet another dimension, in which Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker made different choices.

Better ones.

 

The End

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is it, I guess. 
> 
> I wasn't going to write the Epilogue (alternate ending). But the original ending of this story made me incredibly sad for canon!Obi-Wan, so I wrote this Epilogue to give him a happier ending, too. I'm a sucker for happy endings. It's better to have three happy endings than two, right? :)
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> I may or may not write a one-shot from Darth Vader's POV when this Obi-Wan approaches him, but I'm not sure yet. We shall see.
> 
> Edit:
> 
>  
> 
> [Here it is](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20265415)


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